Latest news with #plutonium
Times
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Times
Inside Britain's top secret nuclear bunker
Secure vaults containing decades-old enriched uranium and plutonium are dotted across Britain's sprawling atomic weapons establishment site in the Berkshire countryside. Some are underground, inside 1960s-era buildings, guarded by police on the roof tops armed with C8 Carbine assault rifles used by the Special Air Service (SAS). Cameras keep watch and security guards patrol the perimeter — lined by a fence and razor wire, like a prison — and 56 dogs are on hand to sniff out any sign of toxic chemicals. 'The guards and guns are not here to protect us, they are here to protect the material,' said one of the scientists giving a tour of the grounds. 'You can't get anywhere near them [the vaults] even if you tried,' added another. There are measures in place to ensure that if an airliner hit the site inadvertently, the risk of a radioactive fallout would be minimised. The threat of terrorists trying to steal the uranium is greater than that of a jet deliberately bombing the site. It is the first time in more than a decade that journalists have been allowed access here. On one side of the 700-acre site are crumbling chimneys towering above an 'out of service' factory where uranium was once enriched. Due to its international treaty obligations, Britain no longer enriches material. Once its stockpile runs out, it will be recycled. It is at this site in the quaint village of Aldermaston that scientists examined the teapot containing the lethal polonium-210 used to kill Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian defector, in London in November 2006. Some £15 billion is now being poured into modernising the facility, once a Second World War air force base and now home to 9,500 employees — 1,000 more than there were two years ago. The Ministry of Defence is drawing up designs for the next generation of sovereign nuclear warheads, known as Astraea, and the focus on Britain's nuclear programme is intensifying. The Astraea, also known as the A21/Mk7, will replace the Holbrook warheads on the Trident missiles deployed on Britain's four nuclear deterrent submarine boats. It has been two decades since the AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment) worked on warheads, which is why the site needs a huge investment programme to prepare the facilities. Astraea is being developed in parallel with the US W93/Mk7 warhead but not together with the US because the nuclear material cannot be transported plan is for the warhead to be ready for use in the 2030s, although it is still in design phase. Amid warnings of a 'third nuclear age' in which Britain is threatened by multiple enemies including Russia, speed will be critical. 'This is a new era of threat and there's a sense of urgency. We need to step up,' said Marina Dawes, director of science at the site. The nuclear bombs are made up of fissile materials including uranium, plutonium and other components such as high explosives. For the first time, the bombs that are produced will never have been tested in real life. The UK, along with others, has agreed not to test its nuclear bombs in the way Robert Oppenheimer oversaw the testing of the world's first nuclear weapon, nicknamed Trinity, in the Jornada del Muerto desert within the Alamogordo Bombing Range in New Mexico, in July 1945. Instead, scientists and engineers in the UK today rely on the Orion laser, which enables them to simulate the hot and dense conditions at the moment of detonation but without the need for nuclear materials. 'We create the condition at the moment of detonation,' said another scientist, showcasing the equipment. This isn't a giant death ray, but a bespoke scientific tool,' added another. Twelve lasers beam down on to one tiny target — no more than 5mm long and painstakingly created by hand over many months. There is an entire building for a super-computer, which is able to make four trillion calculations in a second. It has stored data from previous experiments and is used to validate tests to ensure what the scientists are creating will work in a realistic scenario. Bunkers store massive quantities of high explosives across the base. At Aldermaston, the components are manufactured before they are shipped off to another site, at AWE Burghfield, less than ten miles away. There they are put together and later weaponised ready for use. Transporting the materials is a huge endeavour involving highly secure trucks, escorted by more than 50 vehicles, including a tow truck, police cars and motorbikes. Down the road is the Blacknest site, where scientists monitor for seismic signals that may suggest another country has tested a nuclear weapon. Those who work at Aldermaston are proud of the work they do. 'Being a nuclear weapons state is an awesome responsibility. It is the most serious of serious things,' said another senior employee at the site. At Aldermaston and other defence nuclear industry sites, salaries average £45,500 — 20 per cent higher than the UK average — yet they are still desperate to recruit. Women from diverse backgrounds and the neuro-diverse are among those being targeted. At present, only 20 per cent of the workforce is female, according to Mandy Savage, the engineering director. YouGov polling commissioned by the MoD found that in March this year, 65 per cent of those polled supported maintaining the UK's independent nuclear deterrent. This was the highest level of support since the MoD began polling in June 2018. Amid fears the US could bomb Iran's nuclear facilities, triggering a wider conflict in the Middle East, John Healey, the defence secretary, was given his first tour of the site on Thursday. He said the technology being developed was 'keeping us all safe every minute of the day'. He added: 'The skilled men and women working here play a fundamental role in deterring global conflict and that cannot be underestimated.'
Washington Post
a day ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike, was part of Tehran's nuclear deal
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Much of the focus on Iran's nuclear program has been on Tehran's enrichment of uranium, but experts also keep a close watch on the Islamic Republic's Arak heavy water reactor. That's because the facility, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran, could produce plutonium, which can be used to make an atomic bomb.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike, was part of Tehran's nuclear deal
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Much of the focus on Iran's nuclear program has been on Tehran's enrichment of uranium, but experts also keep a close watch on the Islamic Republic's Arak heavy water reactor. That's because the facility, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran, could produce plutonium, which can be used to make an atomic bomb. Israel pointed to just that concern when it launched airstrikes Thursday on the reactor, following its attacks on other Iranian nuclear sites, including the Nantanz enrichment facility, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, and laboratories in Isfahan. Iran acknowledged the strikes, saying at least two projectiles slammed into the compound, without giving any specifics about damage. Never online, the reactor had no uranium fuel and saw no nuclear release from the strike. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, has warned repeatedly that such sites — whether in Iran or Ukraine — should not be military targets. Arak grew out of Iran's onetime military nuclear program After Iran's devastating 1980s war with Iraq, it began a secret military program to seek a nuclear weapon and approached four nations to purchase a heavy water-moderated reactor. After getting turned down, Iran decided to build its own. Heavy water is water in which hydrogen is replaced by deuterium and is used as a coolant for heavy water reactors. The reactors can be used for scientific purposes, but plutonium is a byproduct of the process. Before the centrifuge technology that enriches uranium to levels high enough for use in weapons became widespread, many states used heavy water reactors to pursue plutonium-fueled bombs. India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states, have heavy water reactors, as does Israel, which has never acknowledged having atomic weapons but is widely believed to have them. Though Iran ultimately embraced uranium-enriching centrifuges as the main driver of its program, it built the reactor, which never went online. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. However, it also had been enriching uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iran was the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich at that level. Arak was part of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers Iran agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility to alleviate proliferation concerns. That included pouring concrete into part of it, though the overall work never was completed. The Arak reactor became a point of contention after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. Ali Akbar Salehi, a high-ranking nuclear official in Iran, claimed on Iranian state television in 2019 that Tehran bought extra parts to replace the portion of the reactor into which officials poured concrete. Due to restrictions Iran has imposed on inspectors, the IAEA has said it lost 'continuity of knowledge' about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile. Israeli strike likely heavily damaged the inert reactor On Thursday morning, Israel carried out an airstrike on the reactor. Black-and-white footage of the strike it released showed a bomb dropping on its dome and sending up a massive plume of fire and smoke. The U.N. nuclear watchdog noted that since it was not in operation and contained no nuclear material, there was no danger to the public after the strike from any 'radiological effects.' The IAEA said it had no information on whether the facility nearby where heavy water is produced had been hit. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium. 'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,' the Israelis said. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape:
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike, was part of Tehran's nuclear deal
Much of the focus on Iran 's nuclear program has been on Tehran 's enrichment of uranium, but experts also keep a close watch on the Islamic Republic's Arak heavy water reactor. That's because the facility, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran, could produce plutonium, which can be used to make an atomic bomb. Israel pointed to just that concern when it launched airstrikes Thursday on the reactor, following its attacks on other Iranian nuclear sites, including the Nantanz enrichment facility, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, and laboratories in Isfahan. Iran acknowledged the strikes, saying at least two projectiles slammed into the compound, without giving any specifics about damage. Never online, the reactor had no uranium fuel and saw no nuclear release from the strike. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, has warned repeatedly that such sites — whether in Iran or Ukraine — should not be military targets. Arak grew out of Iran's onetime military nuclear program After Iran's devastating 1980s war with Iraq, it began a secret military program to seek a nuclear weapon and approached four nations to purchase a heavy water-moderated reactor. After getting turned down, Iran decided to build its own. Heavy water is water in which hydrogen is replaced by deuterium and is used as a coolant for heavy water reactors. The reactors can be used for scientific purposes, but plutonium is a byproduct of the process. Before the centrifuge technology that enriches uranium to levels high enough for use in weapons became widespread, many states used heavy water reactors to pursue plutonium-fueled bombs. India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states, have heavy water reactors, as does Israel, which has never acknowledged having atomic weapons but is widely believed to have them. Though Iran ultimately embraced uranium-enriching centrifuges as the main driver of its program, it built the reactor, which never went online. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. However, it also had been enriching uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iran was the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich at that level. Arak was part of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers Iran agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility to alleviate proliferation concerns. That included pouring concrete into part of it, though the overall work never was completed. The Arak reactor became a point of contention after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. Ali Akbar Salehi, a high-ranking nuclear official in Iran, claimed on Iranian state television in 2019 that Tehran bought extra parts to replace the portion of the reactor into which officials poured concrete. Due to restrictions Iran has imposed on inspectors, the IAEA has said it lost 'continuity of knowledge' about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile. Israeli strike likely heavily damaged the inert reactor On Thursday morning, Israel carried out an airstrike on the reactor. Black-and-white footage of the strike it released showed a bomb dropping on its dome and sending up a massive plume of fire and smoke. The U.N. nuclear watchdog noted that since it was not in operation and contained no nuclear material, there was no danger to the public after the strike from any 'radiological effects.' The IAEA said it had no information on whether the facility nearby where heavy water is produced had been hit. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium. 'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,' the Israelis said. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___
Associated Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike, was part of Tehran's nuclear deal
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Much of the focus on Iran's nuclear program has been on Tehran's enrichment of uranium, but experts also keep a close watch on the Islamic Republic's Arak heavy water reactor. That's because the facility, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran, could produce plutonium, which can be used to make an atomic bomb. Israel pointed to just that concern when it launched airstrikes Thursday on the reactor, following its attacks on other Iranian nuclear sites, including the Nantanz enrichment facility, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, and laboratories in Isfahan. Iran acknowledged the strikes, saying at least two projectiles slammed into the compound, without giving any specifics about damage. Never online, the reactor had no uranium fuel and saw no nuclear release from the strike. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, has warned repeatedly that such sites — whether in Iran or Ukraine — should not be military targets. Arak grew out of Iran's onetime military nuclear program After Iran's devastating 1980s war with Iraq, it began a secret military program to seek a nuclear weapon and approached four nations to purchase a heavy water-moderated reactor. After getting turned down, Iran decided to build its own. Heavy water is water in which hydrogen is replaced by deuterium and is used as a coolant for heavy water reactors. The reactors can be used for scientific purposes, but plutonium is a byproduct of the process. Before the centrifuge technology that enriches uranium to levels high enough for use in weapons became widespread, many states used heavy water reactors to pursue plutonium-fueled bombs. India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states, have heavy water reactors, as does Israel, which has never acknowledged having atomic weapons but is widely believed to have them. Though Iran ultimately embraced uranium-enriching centrifuges as the main driver of its program, it built the reactor, which never went online. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. However, it also had been enriching uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iran was the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich at that level. Arak was part of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers Iran agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility to alleviate proliferation concerns. That included pouring concrete into part of it, though the overall work never was completed. The Arak reactor became a point of contention after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. Ali Akbar Salehi, a high-ranking nuclear official in Iran, claimed on Iranian state television in 2019 that Tehran bought extra parts to replace the portion of the reactor into which officials poured concrete. Due to restrictions Iran has imposed on inspectors, the IAEA has said it lost 'continuity of knowledge' about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile. Israeli strike likely heavily damaged the inert reactor On Thursday morning, Israel carried out an airstrike on the reactor. Black-and-white footage of the strike it released showed a bomb dropping on its dome and sending up a massive plume of fire and smoke. The U.N. nuclear watchdog noted that since it was not in operation and contained no nuclear material, there was no danger to the public after the strike from any 'radiological effects.' The IAEA said it had no information on whether the facility nearby where heavy water is produced had been hit. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium. 'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,' the Israelis said. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape:
