Translation result.
[Green Economy News — Reporter Seong Choi]
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are emerging as next-generation energy systems, and their convergence with the defense sector is becoming a strategic industry. On today’s battlefields—where commanders must ensure both reliable power and sustained operations—SMRs are being reevaluated as strategic infrastructure rather than merely generation assets.
Conventional military operations have relied heavily on diesel generators and fuel supply chains. Those logistics lines are a structural vulnerability: if they’re attacked, operational endurance quickly collapses. SMRs are being promoted as an option to reduce that exposure.
An energy-sector official said, “Once installed, an SMR can deliver steady power for long periods with minimal refueling and can operate independently in areas lacking external infrastructure. That capability is especially valuable in extreme environments such as polar regions, deserts and conflict zones.”
Major global companies are racing to capture the dual-use (military and civilian) SMR market. Britain’s Rolls‑Royce is leveraging submarine-reactor expertise to move into military power-supply systems, while U.S. firm NuScale Power is adapting its commercial SMR designs to pursue defense projects.
In South Korea, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and Doosan Enerbility are developing SMR technologies with both export and military applications in mind. These companies are targeting integrated revenue models that go beyond power sales to include long-term defense contracts and maintenance services.
Military use of SMRs has already reached early demonstration phases. The U.S. Department of Defense is testing small, deployable reactors for forward bases as part of a mobile-reactor development program and is conducting technology validation with an eye toward operational deployment.
A defense ministry official said the navy is exploring ways to adapt submarine nuclear‑propulsion technologies for small surface ships and unmanned maritime platforms. The official added that use of SMRs in extreme settings—such as space bases and polar research stations—could become increasingly feasible.
From an investment standpoint, the link between SMRs and defense is viewed as a long‑term growth theme. Analysts expect the global SMR market to enter a growth phase around 2030. The twin regulatory hurdles of the nuclear and defense sectors create high barriers to entry that favor established technology holders, and the long-duration nature of defense contracts supports predictable cash flows.
SMRs are thus positioning themselves as a core technology connecting energy security and military strategy. A defense-industry official noted that as battlefields become more distributed and operations more prolonged, demand for reliable, independent power sources is likely to increase. The official said the fusion of SMRs and defense could be an inflection point that reshapes industrial structures, not merely a technical partnership.
Nevertheless, significant challenges remain. Combining nuclear and military technologies raises international nonproliferation concerns and cross-border policy risks, while high upfront costs complicate commercial viability. Public acceptance of safety for these technologies also remains a critical variable.
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