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Nuclear propulsion is used primarily within naval warships such as nuclear submarines and supercarriers. A small number of experimental civil nuclear ships have been built. [1] Compared to oil- or coal-fuelled ships, nuclear propulsion offers the advantage of very long intervals of operation before refueling.
The submarines can operate at high speed on diesel power or switch to the AIP system for silent slow cruising, staying submerged for up to three weeks with little exhaust heat. The system is also said to be vibration-free and virtually undetectable. The Type 212 is the first fuel cell propulsion system equipped submarine series. [8] [9]
The Virginia class, or the SSN-774 class, is the newest class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy.The class is designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions, including anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering operations. [10]
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed.In the US classification, nuclear-powered submarines are designated as SSxN, where the SS denotes submarine, x=G means that the submarine is equipped with guided missiles (usually cruise missiles), x=B means that the submarine is equipped with ballistic missiles (usually intercontinental) and the ...
AIP can augment or replace the diesel-electric propulsion system of non-nuclear vessels. Modern non-nuclear submarines are potentially stealthier than nuclear submarines; although some modern submarine reactors are designed to rely on natural circulation, most naval nuclear reactors use pumps to constantly circulate the reactor coolant ...
Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, operated by Westinghouse, developed the basic reactor plant design used in Nautilus after being given the assignment on 31 December 1947 to design a nuclear power plant for a submarine. [14] Nuclear power had a crucial advantage in submarine propulsion because it is a zero-emission process that consumes no air ...
The upcoming Columbia-class (formerly known as the Ohio Replacement Submarine and SSBN-X Future Follow-on Submarine) nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines of the United States Navy are designed to replace the Ohio class. [7] Construction of the first vessel began on 1 October 2020. [8] She is scheduled to enter service in 2031. [9] [10] [11]
The United States Navy Nuclear Propulsion community consists of Naval Officers and Enlisted members who are specially trained to run and maintain the nuclear reactors that power the submarines and aircraft carriers of the United States Navy. Operating more than 80 nuclear-powered ships, the United States Navy is currently the largest naval ...