US draws up plans for nuclear drones

[lovuian]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/02/us-plans-nuclear-drones

American scientists have drawn up plans for a new generation of nuclear-powered drones capable of flying over remote regions of the world for months on end without refuelling.

The blueprints for the new drones, which have been developed by Sandia National Laboratories – the US government's principal nuclear research and development agency – and defence contractor Northrop Grumman, were designed to increase flying time "from days to months" while making more power available for operating equipment, according to a project summary published by Sandia.


Maybe its me but I found this like flying a mini nuke over countries

[northoftheborder]

1. Howdy Doodie! Just what we need - another nuclear device to terrorize the world.

[suffragette]

2. This is chilling

More from the article:

A halt has been called to the work for now, due to worries that public opinion will not accept the idea of such a potentially hazardous technology, with the inherent dangers of either a crash – in effect turning the drone into a so-called dirty bomb – or of its nuclear propulsion system falling into the hands of terrorists or unfriendly powers.



I find the use of "for now" in that paragraph ominous.

[lovuian]

11. yes

Chilling is right

[NYC_SKP]

3. Similar powerplants could power passenger aircraft.

I'm not suggesting that I like it or hate it, it's just the truth of the different options.

Some time in the not too distant future, passenger air travel as we know it will be a memory.

[WillyT]

4. Calling All Terrorists... Foreign And Domestic...

Please spend most of your GPS time in front of VIB...

[lovuian]

5. I would thing that the United Nations

would ban this

[RC]

6. One can hope. But since when does the United States care what the United Nations thinks?

[freshwest]

7. Operative words are 'a new generation.' As if this hasn't been planned for half a century.

Oh, nothing new about this. And what's the difference between larger aircraft cruising the planet with these?

Does anyone think they aren't doing it now, like stories about the ones that went missing over S.D. a while back, whether it was true or not?

Not like they haven't had wet dreams about doing this since WW2. Just more personal, more creepy, more dangerous and more profit.

Does Kucinich's proposal for a Department of Peace begin to look a little more sane now?

I doubt it, too many degrees and careers involved in this technology. The only thing left now would be to make alternative energy peaceful. The MIC will never stop figuring out how to kill, it's the nature of the beast.

[TheMightyFavog]

8. I'm confused.....

Are they thinking of using an actual fission reactor, (it would have to be a DAMN big drone if that's the route they are going) or are they thinking more along the lines of powering it with a radioisotope thermoelectric generator like they do with space probes?

[saras]

9. There's no weapon that stays exclusive for long, and America's era is ending

They're not designing these for America, they're designing them for whoever wants them. Whether they admit it or not.

Luxembourg's the next to go,
Then who knows, maybe Monaco
I'll try to stay serene and calm
When Alabama gets the bomb.

Tom Lehrer

[freshwest]

10. +1