It is possible to operate a sub with low-enriched uranium ( LEU)-both France and China do so-but it has drawbacks, such as larger reactors and more frequent refuelling. Worse still, both America and Britain use highly enriched uranium ( HEU), essentially weapons-grade, in their subs. But depending on how AUKUS is implemented, it might still have fissile material hanging around before then. Once that fuel is in a working reactor, it becomes too radioactive to use for a bomb. It is more likely to acquire reactor fuel from another country. No non-nuclear-armed state has ever tested that loophole-until now.Īustralia is unlikely to produce enriched uranium itself unlike every other state which has operated a nuclear-powered sub, it has neither nuclear weapons nor any nuclear power stations. States are allowed to remove nuclear material from safeguards if they are for “a non-proscribed military activity”, such as submarine propulsion. But the rules have a submarine-shaped loophole. It also says they must put sensitive nuclear material, like enriched uranium, under international safeguards, monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA), a watchdog. The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty ( NPT) forbids signatories who don’t already have a bomb from making one. It is also because they are powered with the same stuff-usually, uranium enriched so that it has a higher proportion of the most fissile isotope, U-235-that is used in bombs. “This is, frankly, an exception to our policy in many respects.We view this as a one-off.” Nuclear-powered subs are sensitive not just because of their range, speed and stealthiness. “This technology is extremely sensitive,” acknowledged an American official, speaking anonymously on September 15th. The precise form of assistance will be worked out over the next 18 months it may involve Britain actually supplying the technology, with America’s blessing and support. The group’s first initiative, and its most important, will be American and British assistance to Australia in building a fleet of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines. A new trilateral defence pact, AUKUS, announced on September 15th, will involve far-reaching defence co-operation between America, Australia and Britain. Now it will take that dramatic step again.
That was 63 years ago when America helped the Royal Navy to go nuclear.
O nly once in its history has America handed over a nuclear submarine propulsion plant, the crown jewels of military technology, to another country.
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