‘Glowing Green’ – Pentagon Developing Compact, Portable Nuclear Reactors for Field Use
Technology | March 25, 2021 | Paul Crespo
The U.S. Defense Department (DoD) is going green, or ‘glowing green,’ as the Pentagon has just selected two companies to develop compact, portable nuclear reactors for field use by the military. Using compact nuclear reactors will not only reduce the Pentagon’s massive carbon footprint but significantly reduce its energy costs and its dependence on local energy grids.
The portable nuuclear reactors, which could be truck, rail, or air-transportable, would be for deployment overseas, while another type of compact reactor being developed would be for domestic use by the military inside the United States.
The Air Force and the Marine Corps, noted The Drive, could especially benefit from these compact, deployable nuclear reactors for their new expeditionary basing concepts. Meanwhile, even though the Pentagon order demands a design that is incapable of melting down, does not require constant monitoring for otherwise safe operation, and doesn’t present an immediate health hazard, there are myriad safety and security issues to resolve or mitigate for deployable reactors in conflict zones.
https://americandefensenews.com/2021/03/25/glowing-green-pentagon-developing-compact-portable-nuclear-reactors-for-field-use/
