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Nuclear Submarine Program Surfaces in Iran

(Belfer Center-Harvard Kennedy School) Olli Heinonen - The deputy chief of the Iranian navy announced that it is considering nuclear propulsion for its submarines. A debate in the Majlis included discussion of the use of nuclear propulsion for oil tankers. There is speculation that nuclear propulsion will be used as a bargaining chip to trade away or as justification for continuing uranium enrichment and getting to higher enrichment. Traditionally, naval reactors use highly enriched uranium (HEU) for fuel to reduce reactor size. American submarines use HEU fuel enriched up to 97% and nuclear-powered Russian icebreakers are up to 75%. If we put aside the question of if Iran will make good on its proclaimed intent, this is what it could mean in terms of enrichment: Iran would need to produce approximately 50 kg of 90% HEU or 100 kg of 45% HEU to power a (small) 50 MWt submarine. The HEU produced under the first scenario is equivalent to the amount needed for 2 nuclear weapons. But before that, a land-based test reactor of the same scale would need to be constructed. In sum, with those two reactors and additional materials needed for testing and manufacturing, such a project would require HEU amounts equal to half a dozen nuclear weapons. The writer is a former deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, where he headed its Department of Safeguards.
2012-07-25 00:00:00
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