Nuclear-powered surface ships that could stay at sea for years are part of new plans by the Royal Navy. The Navy has asked the defence industry to explore nuclear power on its surface ships as part of what is understood to be a “long-term” plan. Currently, nuclear propulsion is only used on submarines in the UK, but the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for updates on the use of Generation IV, an advanced nuclear technology. Former Navy commander Tom Sharpe described the RFI as “prudent planning” by the MoD, although cautioned the costs behind such a developm…
