In response to Anonymous’s December
26, 2023 comment:
Yes I see France's larger 2030s onward single New Generation Aircraft Carrier (Porte-avions de nouvelle génération (PA-NG)) will use 2 x 220 MWt [ = 73 MWe?] K22 nuclear reactors.
Also each of France's larger 2030s onwards 4 x Third Generation SSBN (Sous-Marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins de Troisieme Génération (SNLE 3Gs)) will be powered by a K22 (see right sidebar).
Might France pass some K15 or K22 technology to South Korea for SK's KSS-3 Batch 3 SSBN program? SK's payment could help fund the high cost of the K22's development.
Hi Pete
ReplyDeleteFrom France
France is very unlikely ,in my personnal opinion,going to offer in the foreseeble future K22 tech (or K15) to SK for 3 main reasons
-politically, concern about dissemination of sensitive tech , if Korea why not others in the future..
-economically the developpement of the K22 which is well underway, is not a big ticket (that needs "sharing"). The cost of the reactor is minimal compared to the costs of the front end and back end of the fuel cycle and the nuclear infrastructure ( facilities , people) needed.These are in France sunk costs.An additional SSN is barely more expensive,in marginal term, some people says less,over the lifetime, than an SSK of similar size.. The K 22 is really an extrapolation of the K15 specifically for the new carrier close to 75000 T that need tremendous power to launch at 20 /25 knots aicraft thru El.catapults.The K22 is probably very close to the civilan NUWARD SMR proposed by EDF (Utility, Naval group.)on the civilian market. (LEUcommercial grade ..)
-The S Korean can do it alone, they are probably working on it,as they have the industrial and civilian asset in place