jeffb
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We'd be talking PWR-2b and it's a change in standards and regulations that's driven adoption of a UK development of concepts on S9G. The passive cooling design is the key, as it removes another point of failure......a very British approach.Australia wouldn't want the PWR2. The UK doesn't want the PWR2 and is quite happy to move on to the PWR3 which is "based on a US design (the US Navy's S9G) but using UK reactor technology".I have to assume lessons have/are been learned, and current builds are devloping/maintaining skills. Also, if the Australian sub is an Astute variant that current experience in the UK can be passed on to Australia.
The plan is for most of the boat to be built in Australia, so the only issue I can see is the need for Rolls Royce to be producing both PWR2s and 3s - unless something radical like the the PWR2 being built in Australia but being shipped to RR for fueling is adopted. That, though, would probably be more trouble than it’s worth.
I seem to remember reading that Rolls Royce was actually one of the bottlenecks in the UK sub program and that they were already flat out producing PWR3s for Dreadnought, Astute and the follow on SSN(R), not sure what the latest is though.
Which is a much more accurate description of PWR-3.
RR is ramping up staff for the SMR effort, which is fairly relevant to any expansion of submarine reactors.
'Flat out' likely refers to the deliberately slow production in order to keep staff and facilities going. No one wants a repeat of the 'peace dividend'.
Astute production has been slowed down to what is felt a practical limit to keep the industry alive.
Dutton's intervention is more a sign of politicking and utilising standing prejudices than being informed. At best it's part of the chatter to confuse prior to the formal announcement, at worst it's just blatant self promotion.
From wikipedia:
If Australia's looking at a LOB reactor they'll be looking at the safest one they can get.Three propulsion options were considered for the replacement of the Vanguard-class, the Successor: PWR2, PWR2b (derivative with improved performance) and PWR3. PWR3 was a new system "based on a US design but using UK reactor technology". The Royal Institution of Naval Architects reported that it was likely that the UK was given access to the US Navy S9G reactor design used in their Virginia-class submarines. The PWR3 was a simpler and safer design with a longer life and lower maintenance requirements than the PWR2 variants and cost roughly the same as the PWR2b. The PWR3 has 30% fewer parts compared to the PWR2.
In March 2011, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said the PWR3 was the preferred option "because those reactors give us a better safety outlook". In May 2011, the Ministry of Defence announced that PWR3 had been selected for the Successor (later named the Dreadnought-class in 2016). The PWR3 cost about £50 million more per boat to purchase and operate compared to PWR2 designs. This is offset by the PWR3's longer life over the 25-year life PWR2 designs. The PWR3 does not require reactor core prototype tests; instead computational modelling is used.
RR's SMR effort is a bit of a red herring I think, the SMR industry is an industry that is currently without any customers and if memory serves, needs about 50 customers a year to be viable.
Opposition leader Dutton's comments here regarding the submarine decision are simply a real life example of how a stopped clock can still be right twice a day.