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The WS-125 was an American super long-range strategic bomber project during the Cold War to develop a
Two General Electric J87 turbofan engines were successfully powered to nearly full thrust using two shielded reactors. Two experimental engines complete with reactor systems ( HTRE-3 and HTRE-1, which was modified and renamed HTRE-2) are located at the EBR-1 facility south of the Idaho National Laboratory . As of 2022 the reactors are still on display there.
nuclear-powered aircraft
A nuclear-powered aircraft is a concept for an aircraft intended to be powered by nuclear energy. The intention was to produce a jet engine that would heat compressed air with heat from fission, instead of heat from burning fuel. During the Col ...
.
Development
In 1954, theUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
(USAF) issued a weapons system requirement for a nuclear-powered bomber, designated WS-125. In 1956, General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable en ...
teamed up with Convair
Convair, previously Consolidated Vultee, was an American aircraft manufacturing company that later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee Aircraft. In 1953, i ...
( X211 program) and Pratt & Whitney with Lockheed in competitive engine/airframe development to address the requirement.
In 1956, the USAF decided that the proposed WS-125 bomber was unfeasible as an operational strategic aircraft. Finally, after spending more than $1 billion, the project was canceled on March 28, 1961.
Powerplants
Two General Electric J87 turbofan engines were successfully powered to nearly full thrust using two shielded reactors. Two experimental engines complete with reactor systems ( HTRE-3 and HTRE-1, which was modified and renamed HTRE-2) are located at the EBR-1 facility south of the Idaho National Laboratory . As of 2022 the reactors are still on display there.
See also
* List of nuclear-powered aircraft * *9M730 Burevestnik
The 9M730 Burevestnik (russian: Буревестник; "Petrel", NATO reporting name: SSC-X-9 Skyfall) is a Russian experimental nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile under development for the Russian Armed Forces. The missile has ...
(Russia)
* ''Planes That Never Flew'', Discovery Channel
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References
*Butler, Tony (2010). ''American Secret Projects''. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing. . Cancelled military aircraft projects of the United States Military aircraft procurement programs of the United States Nuclear-powered aircraft Strategic bombers {{Mil-aviation-stub