mvanwink5 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:51 pm
(Yada, yada...) Commercial cargo ships, military vessels would all benefit. Has the US Navy awakened to near term fusion?
While the US Navy does not have any current ship designs calling for FUSION power, we do have a number of fission based nuclear ships (mostly carriers and submarines). We used to also have nuclear cruisers, but those are out of the inventory now.
It would take strong interest to get such a power plant incorporated into a warship in the near term, but from an acquisition viewpoint, "technology pull" would probably drive at least a proof-of-concept, and out of that there would be lessons learned. Additionally, the press coming out of such an initial trial, especially in the whole carbon-avoidance/green world, would be significant.
Once proven out, ship manufacturers could incorporate fusion plants into their designs, and the whole POM/Budget/Funding cycle would eventually support fusion powered warships.
If this proves out, and IF it was of a
~"nice" form-factor, it might be able to be substituted into to existing warships. Cargo ships might be an easier retrofit, as they don't have as many systems (sensors, weapons, etc.) to have to avoid during a major modification.
But a working fusion power plant - be it steam or direct electric - offers tremendous possibilities for ships. (Now we just need to talk
costs, presumably much less over a life-cycle, as the whole fuel bit is much reduced...)
The benefits and possibilities have never been the issue. Actually having a working fusion power plant has been the rub...