Posted on 09/22/2010 7:12:01 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
/begin my excerpts
Lee Administration Inquired with British about Enriched Uranium for a Nuclear-powered Submarine
Sept. 22, 2010
Lee Myung-bak administration is said to restart indigenous nuclear-powered submarine project(SSX.)
The October issue of Wolgan Chosun(note: S. Korean monthly news magazine) reported that President Lee Myung-bak discussed the purchase of nuclear fuel for the reactor of a nuclear-powered submarine at a summit meeting with then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, while visiting Britain to attend the Second G-20 Financial Summit on Apr. 2 of this year.
Prime Minister Brown responded that Britain could supply enriched uranium of purity 20% or less and even provide its reprocessing service.
Uranium in natural state is approximately of purity 0.7%, one for nuclear power plant, 0.7~5%, for submarine nuclear reactor, 20~90%, and for nuclear bomb, over 95%. The nuclear submarine President Lee is considering is a nuclear-powered attack submarine(SSN) which uses nuclear power but carries conventional weapons. It is not a strategic submarine(SSBN) which carries nuclear missiles.
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(Excerpt) Read more at news.chosun.com ...
P!
I don’t get it. The SK Navy’s missions are generally short range - protecting their coastline; maybe interdicting NK shipping in wartime; landing special forces... For those kinds of things a diesel-electric (SSK) on batteries is quieter than a SSN. They also tend to be smaller and do better in littoral waters. Where are they planning on driving their SSN? What could the SK Navy do with a SSN that they couldn’t do with a modern SSK? Longer patrols?
I admit to being a bit puzzled by this. While I am sure the ROK admirals would like to have a nuclear sub to play with, they do not really have the strategic commitments to need one.
ROK’s maritime security concerns are pretty local and could be well served by advanced conventionally-powered boats, which are much cheaper, meaning they could build more of them for the money.
Another case of great minds thinking alike...
Uh... I clicked on the re-director and selected the “English” tab at the top of the screen but all I got was an article that told me that I should drink a Bordeaux with sanjeok. Personally I prefer a Shiraz but OK.
I can’t see why the ROK would need an SSN against the DPRK. Given the range considerations modern diesel boats (they have about 10) would probably do them fine for a fraction of the cost and none of the political issues.
The only reasons I can see for an SSN are if they wanted to to long range recon, say as far away as Hainan, or to demonstrate to the folks up north their acceptance in the global community.
I think this is not about N. Korea. It is mostly about China.
Immediate threat to SK security is N. Korea. However, there is other long-term threat to worry about.
Just what we need, a regional arms race. Thanks for that nuanced diplomacy, libs!
One advantage I can see is that SSNs can arrive, or GTFO of anywhere faster than an SSK is capable of doing...
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