Officials mull nuclear power for ships on polar missions
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E-mail China Daily, February 21, 2013
"China already has the technology and industrial capability to develop and build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier," he said. "We already have nuclear-powered submarines, which require more sophisticated technologies and manufacturing capabilities, so developing a nuclear-powered carrier will not be difficult."
Du's view was echoed by Li Jie, a professor at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, who said it is "more likely" that China will install nuclear reactors on its next aircraft carrier.
"We have command of most of the essential technologies of building a nuclear-powered carrier," he said, adding that some technical problems still need to be resolved.
The US navy has all but one of the world's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, with 10 in service after the USS Enterprise was deactivated in December. The only operating aircraft carrier outside the US is France's Charles de Gaulle, also the first French nuclear-powered surface vessel.
In addition to an aircraft carrier, China's submarine fleet would also benefit from new-generation naval nuclear propulsion, Du said.
"The new-generation nuclear reactor will enable our submarines to operate with lower noise. It will be smaller and have more power compared with its predecessors and boast a higher safety performance."
However, in the short term, merchant ships will not use nuclear propulsion, he added.
"Merchant ships often make more stops during their voyage than military ones, which means it is very convenient for them to reload supplies. Another concern is safety - conventional power is deemed more safe than nuclear propulsion."
Four nuclear-powered merchant ships had been developed by the US, Japan and Germany, but were all decommissioned.
"In the long run, all the strong naval powers and countries with big shipbuilding industries must step in to develop nuclear-powered ships," Li said.
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