When people pay attention to the "dirty bomb" incident in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the US "Bailey" plan once again entered the world's vision - this plan, which experts call "the 'mobile dirty bomb' on the future battlefield".
Why do you say that? Is that really the case?
Under widespread doubt, the US military insisted on promoting the plan, and believed that it was a "military energy technology revolution innovation"!
Therefore, some experts believe that in fact, the drunkard in the United States does not mean alcohol.
So, what exactly is the intention?
Is it "moving dirty bombs"? Or is it a mysterious new "killing machine"?
First, the "Bailey" plan of the United States: the ideal is very full
On May 28, 2021, the United States ambitiously unveiled the $60 million design "Bailey" plan to develop a mobile "miniature nuclear reactor" for use at the front of the battlefield.
As soon as the plan was announced, public opinion was in an uproar.
Even the general American people objected, but even American nuclear scientists raised doubts and objections.
For example, in April 2021, the University of Texas released a report, "U.S. Army Mobile Microreactors: Costs and Risks Outweigh the Benefits," which concluded that it was costly and impractical.
In addition, in June 2021, the National Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Engineering, and the Academy of Medicine jointly formed the NASEM Committee and released the report "Powering the Future U.S. Army", controversing the necessity and rationality of the United States to develop military mobile microreactors.
American scientists believe that there are three major drawbacks:
First, it is vulnerable to attack, as a result, deploying military mobile microreactors in the forward combat bases of war is extremely risky, and it is easy to be tracked, located and attacked by the enemy;
Second, it has little help in reducing logistics casualties;
Third, its power generation cost is high and its future demand is limited.
Some opponents believe that this plan can be described as ideal and full.
However, the scientific nature of the rational use of nuclear reactors determines the limitations of the plan, and even, it is easy to lead to "and spread".
Second, once attacked, it is tantamount to "huge dirty bomb"
In the "Bailey" program of the United States, such a miniature mobile nuclear reactor is characterized by four main points:
First, it is light in weight and good in maneuverability. Weighing less than 40 tons, the reactor components can be transported to their destination by C-17 military transport aircraft, trucks, ships, railways and more.
Second, the deployment speed is fast. After the reactor components arrive at their destination, they can be assembled and put into operation within 3 days; After the reactor is stopped, the core cooling can be completed within 7 days, and it can be dismantled and evacuated.
Third, it is easy to operate. The reactor operation is highly automated, with an estimated 6 professional operators on site, comparable to the number of operating and maintenance personnel required for a military 750 kW diesel generator.
Fourth, the energy density is high. Using high-abundance and low-enriched uranium as fuel, it can run for more than 3 years on a single charge without frequent refueling.
But the plan clearly underestimated the vulnerability of mobile miniature reactors to missile attacks.
Because, in modern warfare, with the improvement of the strike accuracy of precision-guided weapons, this threat will become greater and greater.
More importantly, such a small miniature nuclear reactor, no matter how it is designed, the size and weight of the opportunity are limited, and it is simply unable to withstand the attack of high-explosive missile warheads.
In this way, if the reactor is attacked, it will not worry about the leakage of radioactive materials, especially nuclear leakage.
As a result, such a military mobile microreactor uses high-abundance and low-enriched uranium as fuel, and not only its own soldiers and staff will face a huge and serious threat of nuclear radiation.
More seriously, it will cause a huge crisis of nuclear pollution in the local ecological environment.
As a result, even neighboring countries will be contaminated with nuclear weapons.
More worryingly, if such miniature nuclear reactors are attacked in a war, there is a high probability that they will not be able to evacuate and thus have a high risk of falling into the hands of the enemy.
More likely to lead to nuclear proliferation.
It may even fall into the hands of terrorists, thus making it possible for terrorists to use these radioactive materials to launch terrorist attacks.
Even if it is not, even if it is attacked by missiles and other weapons in a war, such a miniature nuclear reactor, which explodes together with the attack weapon, is tantamount to a huge "dirty bomb" weighing "up to 40 tons".
The consequences can be described as unimaginable.
Third, the United States stubbornly implements, what is it expected to be put into operation in 2027?
Despite great doubts and opposition, the US "Bailey" plan is still in full swing.
In fact, the "Bailey" plan of the United States was actually proposed as early as 2019.
There are two phases.
The first is the research and development stage from March 2020 to March 2022.
The second is the construction and demonstration phase from 2022 to 2024.
According to the US Department of Defense: "If the tests go well, the mobile microreactor will be operated in a demonstration operation at a military base in the United States in 2027 after obtaining permission from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission." ”
Since it has met with widespread will and opposition from experts and others, why does the United States stubbornly pursue this project?
Could it be that the US Department of Defense and the military have not seen these drawbacks clearly? Or even an irreversible real risk?
With such an analysis, it is clear that this plan of the United States is not as simple as it has been announced.
Because, the US Department of Defense clearly knows these stakes.
They also know the enormous threat and catastrophic consequences of their deployment at forward bases.
But the "Bailey" plan went ahead as scheduled.
Even in full swing.
In this way, the plan is even more mysterious: Is the United States a clever way to circumvent these flaws with the stakes that even ordinary people can imagine? Or is there another scheme?
If there is another plan, the US plan obviously has hidden secrets.
So, what is the mystery?
Fourth, the "Bailey" plan, hiding a new killing machine for the United States?
In the Bailey program, the purpose of the US military is to develop mobile microreactors with an electrical power of 1 to 5 megawatts.
In its program, its military purpose is 2:
The first is to meet the electricity needs of forward combat bases and remote military bases;
The second is to meet the energy needs of new weapons and equipment such as high-energy laser weapons and electromagnetic railguns.
Careful analysis, obviously, its previous purpose, under the current technical conditions, change generators, etc., can also fully meet the needs.
Is it the second purpose?
Also the energy needs of new weapons and equipment such as laser weapons and electromagnetic railguns?
Let's take American laser weapons as an example.
The high-energy laser weapons of the United States are basically divided into three grades: 50 kilowatts, 100 kilowatts and 300 kilowatts.
At present, these laser weapons in the United States basically use diesel generators and corresponding energy storage devices to supply energy.
And the cost per 100 kilowatts of high-energy laser weapons, if a diesel generator is used, the fuel cost of a single launch is only 1 to 10 US dollars.
However, one drawback is that it is difficult to meet the higher power demand.
As well as the need for a lot of fuel.
If a micro-nuclear reactor is used, it is logical to reduce cumbersome procedures such as fuel transportation and fuel refilling.
In addition, it is a high-energy electromagnetic railgun.
Similarly, the current diesel generators can basically meet the needs of the current electromagnetic railgun.
But for the demand for new higher energy, higher frequency electromagnetic railguns, perhaps the current diesel generator has also reached a bottleneck.
In this way, it is clear that the US "Bailey" program is not drunk with alcohol, but to meet the energy needs of new weapons technology.
From this point of view, the US "Bailey" plan does hide this "new killing opportunity."
V. Summary
As the saying goes: "Heaven is not afraid of the earth, it is afraid that the hooligans will have culture!" ”
In the jumps of the "Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty", "Iranian nuclear issue" and "nuclear proliferation", the United States has constantly backtracked, so that the credibility of the United States has been widely questioned by the world.
And the "Bailey" plan of the United States, if it is deployed in the forward position of the war, in order not to harm the ecology and neighboring countries, even the opponent will be afraid of three points.
In this way, breaking with such a hand is a bit of a rogue feeling.
However, the U.S. Department of Defense sees the plan as a revolutionary innovation in military energy technology.
And from 2020 to 2021, $130 million has been invested.
This year in 2022, $60 million has been invested.
The "Bailey" plan is progressing in an orderly manner.
However, such a "mobile nuclear reactor" actually appeared in the USSR as early as the 60s of the last century.
If we talk about innovation, or technological revolution, we really can't talk about it.
In the 60s of the last century, the Soviet Union developed a "mobile nuclear reactor" and used it for cruise missiles and "Echo-class" nuclear submarines.
But in 1985, the Echo-class nuclear submarine had one of the world's worst submarine nuclear accidents.
The accident resulted in a large amount of seawater being contaminated with nuclear waste.
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