The United Kingdom’s Royal Navy is looking to add nuclear power capacity to its fleet of surface ships.
UK’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking insights from the defense industry for the possibility of adding generation 4 nuclear reactors to its existing ship fleet.
The RFI issued by the Royal Navy is currently not a tendering opportunity, it is currently aimed at seeking ideas from key industry players about the possibility of adding nuclear power to the fleet of ships.
The RFI has a deadline of October 9, 2024, till which time all suggestions can be sent to the UK MOD.
The Royal Navy’s RFI
“The Royal Navy (RN) is seeking information regarding the integration of Generation 4 nuclear technologies for surface ship employment. Exploring scopes for alternative energy paradigms the Royal Navy is gathering information on various energy solutions for powering large surface ships,” the contract summary reads.
The RFI issued by the MOD further goes on to add that substantial questions remain over the integration of both larger generation 4 reactors, and micro modular reactors onto surface platforms.
“The primary objective of this RFI is to gather detailed information on GEN4 nuclear reactor designs, their feasibility for large surface ships (including support vessels and surface combatants), and the potential benefits and challenges associated with their use. This information will help inform our future strategic decisions and potential investments in this technology,” the contract note reads .
The RFI is aimed at bringing the MOD at par with the industry capability and processes involved in achieving the requirement.
Upon submission, the responses to the RFI will be reviewed by subject matter experts from different functional areas across Navy Command Headquarters and other interested MOD departments.
The need for adding nuclear power to ships
Generation IV reactors represent the most recent advancements in nuclear power plants, offering the anticipated benefits of enhanced affordability, safety, and efficiency compared to existing reactor technologies.
Small modular reactors seem to be the way forward for sustainability and meeting long-term energy requirements.
According to the World Nuclear Association, till February 2023, over 160 ships around the world use small nuclear reactors for power. It is especially suited for those vessels which need to be at sea for long periods without refueling, or for powerful propulsion.
The majority of vessels which use nuclear reactors are submarines; however, there are several warships too which use them for propulsion. The US, Russia, and China have nuclear-powered vessels in their Navy.
UK’s Royal Navy also has the Vanguard Class , which consists of four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines – HMS Vanguard, Vengeance, Victorious and Vigilant.
Like the Astute Class of submarines, nuclear power is provided by a Rolls-Royce PWR 2 reactor that converts water into steam to drive the engines and generate electricity. These displace 15,900 tons when submerged and have an unlimited range thanks to their energy source.
However, the country is now looking to assimilate nuclear reactors on its ship fleet too, which consists of the largest warships ever built for them – the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
The addition of nuclear power reactors will not only boost the range of operations for the ships, but could also give them and added speed advantage, alongside making the operations more emission-free.
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