From Marconi to bomb
class Guglielmo Marconi the Italian Navy had to be composed of two units Italcantieri built in (the name of the time of Fincantieri) in the late '50s.
Taking advantage of the experience made by the U.S. with the experimental submarine Albacore was designed a nuclear-powered attack submarine that should be named Guglielmo Marconi, which would be followed by a sister unit. The unit, similar to the Skipjack American would have a submerged displacement of 3,400 tons and a maximum speed of 30 knots submerged. The implementation of the project as mentioned above required the cooperation of the Member U.S., but the following U.S. refusal to continue working on the basis of a law prohibiting the transfer abroad of nuclear knowledge and technology used for military purposes, and Italy's adherence to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and other political impediments, which prevented the company had followed causing the abandonment of the project. Among the fears of Americans, there was also a strategic technology that is transferred to the Soviet Union.
( source)
SSN Guglielmo Marconi
type submarine
class
Marconi
manufacturers
Italcantieri now Fincantieri spa
order
July 1959
general characteristics
displacement
surfaced and submerged
2300 t 3400 t
length 83 m
width diameter: 9.55 m Propulsion
a nuclear reactor CAMENE (derived from the Westinghouse S5W) 30 MW of thermal power, 15,000 shp, 5-bladed propeller
speed 30 knots
torpedo armament: 6 tubes from 533 in two horizontal rows of 3 with 30 torpedoes
* It "there are still 2 models, one at Marina Palace in Rome and one of the barracks Shire of La Spezia ( source).
In the monograph on the MMI EDAI said that it was announced by the Minister of Defence in July 1959. Specifications: overall length of 83 meters, pressure hull diameter 9.55 m, displacement 2,300 tons (3,400 submerged).
"The propulsion was to be entrusted to a pressurized water nuclear power plant of 30 MW of thermal power, derived from the model designed by Westinghouse and S5W camene, which supplied two turbines (high and low pressure) coupled to a spoiler. The maximum power delivered on the only axis with propeller 5 blade was of 15,000 horses, which had to pay a maximum continuous speed of 30 knots. "
" The hull is presented as a solid reduction (number 58) whose forms were derived from experiments carried out by the U.S. Navy with the boat experimental Albacore, and allowed the development of high-speed underwater. The handling was assured by government aft cruciform surfaces (rudder horizontal and vertical), while the bow diving planes were placed on falsatorre to improve the performance of electro-acoustic sensors. "
4 watertight bulkheads delimited the local catfish (6 tubes from 533 in two horizontal rows of 3 with 30 weapons of reserves), the Fund for the control unit and the local life (4 levels), the reactor compartment, the compartment of the plant power distribution and the underlying group-diesel emergency generator, and, finally, the powertrain compartment and the two turbo-generators with a unit power of 1,800 kW.
was provided at a cost of 30 billion lire in 1959, a figure which made it unrealistic to pursue the project, given the budgetary problems of the Armed Forces. Besides that missed the American willingness to provide the necessary technical and logistical assistance. The Marconi however was not the only project involving nuclear-powered units , but rather one on which they concentrated more the attention of critics and proponents of a world-class navy.
The point at which the project was discontinued as I know, but I do not think it ever went beyond the study guidelines.
In the book there is the photo in b / w of a model (probably exposed to a fair) is not too different from the typical Los Angeles class submarine, in terms of exterior forms.
( source)
's nuclear program MMI
At that time [sixties] the Navy, whose summit was in May of 1962 Admiral Ernesto Jury, officially expressed their interest in the ship nuclear-powered, with plans for an attack submarine named Guglielmo Marconi. The unit, similar to the Skipjack American would have a submerged displacement of 3,400 tons, a maximum speed of 30 knots submerged and a budget siluristica than 30 weapons, all for a cost of around 30 billion. It was however clear that without the cooperation of the United States the project would never have been possible, despite the efforts of the then Defence Minister Giulio Andreotti, the U.S. government refused to cooperate , on the basis of a law prohibiting the transfer to 'foreign knowledge and technologies used for nuclear military attitude that ended up causing the abandonment of the project by the Italian. Despite the outcome of the incident, the interest of the Navy towards the creation of nuclear-powered naval platforms not weakened, leading to a few years later the idea of \u200b\u200ba 'unit logistic support / supply team whose project began to take shape in December 1966 with the signing of a series of agreements between the MM, the CNEN and some Italian companies. The ship, christened Enrico Fermi, he should have a length of 175 meters and a displacement of 18,000 tons, a 80 MW reactor would provide power for use on board, including the 22,000 hp required for propulsion. Even for this project was, however, require a minimum of cooperation from countries already in possession of nuclear know-how needed to build plants that naval power. Hopes were again grown in this respect disregarded, while the failure of the first experience of operating nuclear-powered merchant * created by some Western countries persuaded the Navy at the end of the opportunity to abandon its ambitions in the field.
( source)
* cf. NS Lenin and NS Savannah, Ship smokeless .
NS Enrico Fermi
type
logistics unit nuclear-powered
size
length of 170.5 meters
width of 14 m displacement
17,000 tons full load
propulsion
80 MW nuclear reactor
weapons
4 guns Oto Melara 127mm/54 Compact
4 guns Oto Melara SR 76mm/62
component
flight deck and hangar Flight Helicopter SH-3D program
Logistics unit designed to drive a late 60's. The project was never realized due to the lack of international agreements for the provision of the propulsion Italy.
The first attempt was with the United States to obtain enriched uranium that would fuel a reactor but Westinghouse is the Johnson administration refused because the program had military features as it happened years before the submarine Marconi.
uranium was obtained from France and the first 2 tons to operate the reactor in a laboratory for TOAD * Casaccia CNEN and January 1970, the reactor became critical. Further interference of the European Commission and the U.S. veto that blocked the project seemed secure.
* should be cited, including power reactors, those used for traction. The need, in this case, are those of lightness and better containment of radiation: to this end, the PWR supply chain is generally used as turbines and generators can be kept in a safe area, the fluid being free of radiation. In fact, the primary circuit has been designed with different fluids, such as reactor Italian ROSPO ( Zero Power Reactor Experimental Organic ), made as a prototype for the future (and ever) Enrico Fermi nuclear-powered ship, in which organic wax were used, similar to the common heat transfer oils - always with the aim of reduce the size. Despite the many projects (the German ship Otto Hahn, American Savannah, and other were actually made, but without much success), the nuclear-powered naval is now only used in military submarines (and some research), in large ports and Russian icebreaker Lenin class. ( source)
Guglielmo Marconi and Enrico Fermi
Giulio Andreotti, the secret agreement with Washington in 1972 was one of the directors, therefore remains firm on his position: the Americans must stay. But the contents of that secret protocol and how it is born, the senator for life is stingy with words. It is not never gone beyond the general explanations of the requirements of geopolitics. Yet behind the story of the birth of St. Stephen, the base would also have a long history in which not all Italian secondary ambition of the senior echelons of the Italian military, to have a nuclear program. As it happens, was the same Giulio Andreotti to formalize this dream of generals and admirals Italian, speaking to the Senate in 1959, when he was defense minister. And on that occasion announced the construction of a nuclear submarine which was ready for the name: Guglielmo Marconi. He even pointed out the features: displacement 3,400 tons, length 83 meters, width 9.60, range 12 thousand hours of running. And that is, about a year and a half of navigation. Cost: 30 billion lire at the time. A colossal figure.
There was only one problem to overcome: to convince the U.S. to provide enriched uranium for nuclear reactor. Falco Accame, the former chairman of the Defence Committee of the House, has a long memory and riucorda that the December 22, 1962, at the launch of the intersection Duilio in Castellammare di Stabia, Andreotti said, "We wish to bring forward as soon as the project of building a nuclear submarine Italian that will meet the aspirations of the bottom of our Navy and represents a further step towards a technical design that we all have to cooperate. "
But the Americans did not like the ambitions of the Italian Navy. The first result was a change of the "nuclear program" Italian. In fact, Andreotti, September 18, 1963, in Parliament spoke of the commitment "to a unit of area grossed nuclear-powered first step towards the construction of atomic submarine, he remains the ultimate goal. "
The most fierce opponent of nuclear program "made in Italy" was Admiral Hyman Rickover , the creator of the U.S. atomic submarines. In 1964 Andreotti told the Corriere della Sera that the submarine from the original project had passed the idea "of a ship civil-military nuclear propulsion would call that Enrico Fermi . Here, too, were presented technical data: 18 000 tons, 174 feet long and a speed of 20 knots.
Nothing to do: Rickover mouth, even this hypothesis. The Italians then turned to the French, with whom in 1961 there was a collaborative project to produce enriched uranium plants Pierrelatte. But the Americans put us a hand and is not did nothing. In
1966, the then Minister of Defense, the Social Democrat Tremelloni diplomatically tried to exalt above all civilian aspects of nuclear research, but it froze Andreotti: "Even the telescope of Galileo was born of a military contract, but humanity has had immense benefits. " The real political problem was therefore to convince the Americans to lift their veto. E 'in this context that came into agreements for the grant to the U.S. base of La Maddalena. Almost a sort of "gift" to soften certain positions of distrust. Nothing to do: the Americans went to Italy in exchange for some conventionally submarines now in the odor of disposal. Ironically at the end in our seas sailing nuclear submarines. But they have the Stars and Stripes and the tricolor.
( source)
The bomb Italian ...
In 1980, for a few months, when news of difficulty meander in the armed forces, Italy hypothesized to build the atomic bomb. The revelation is the former defense minister, Lelio Lagorio, who mentioned it in his recent volume The time of Austerlitz. 1980: the turning point that changed Italy which contains a foreword by Enzo Bettiza and is published by Polistampa. Lagorio recalls that 1980 was decisive as regards the issue of deployment of missiles. "In regard to bomb Italian - writes the former minister - the fact that the missiles had given the country a higher international status suggested that some military environment the idea that a bomb had established Italian assured that rank. The bomb was cheap and our scientific-technical-industrial apparatus was able to produce it. I spoke specifically with the head of Staff Admiral Torrisi ( July 1980). Later the idea was raised by my secretary of defense Ciccardini in line with the expert Stefano Silvestri ( Autumn 1982). It was true that Italy had ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but only recently and after much uncertainty and resistance. A rethink was always possible. All the more so if it had supported an independent initiative in the Mediterranean. In this Italy along with France could give rise to a "Small Born" with the riparian countries to give everyone a greater sense of security. A force de frappe nuclear Italo-French coalition would guarantee the Mediterranean margin greater influence and credibility, not to mention the advent of a new strong player on the chessboard euro-African took an unusual importance in international politics. " So far Lagorio. Falco Accame, the time involved in the PSI in the military - was also chairman of the Defence Committee - recalled that at the time there were "whispers and whispers about secret project to build a nuclear weapon . The project was linked to the technologies that had been developed in Italy in some nuclear research centers, and above all that had been developed at the Camen, the center of military applications for nuclear energy of San Piero a Grado, in Pisa (now Cisam ). The Camen would ensure completion of nuclear reactors for submarine Marconi and Fermi the merchant ship. " "In the book do not appear Lagorio - explains Accame - some background on this project and also to another realization of the force de frappe . On November 1, 1968, France had given us the enriched uranium for the reactor of the Casaccia reactor began to operate in the 70's. In June '71 Ambassador Quaroni, it was also in France, in an article in "La Revue de deux mondes" spoke of possible agreements between Italy and France for a nuclear program. The U.S. did not want to give the uranium necessary for the projects for the construction of the submarine and the ship's nuclear . Programs del Carmen in an interview on an important week, the then Italian director, Admiral of Avogadro Valdengo.
( source)
... atom European
In 1952 he was created CNRN (National Committee for Nuclear Research) and was entrusted with the construction of a first reactor. In 1956, at the Naval Academy, was put into operation the Camen (Centre for the military application of nuclear energy). The first results were visible in years. In 1958 began the construction of Central America, in the reactor became critical in December 1962 and in May the following year, as recalled by Cacace, began producing electricity. Were started simultaneously work for another station, on the Garigliano, which would produce energy in January 1964. Meanwhile, two large private companies, Fiat and Montecatini, had fallen on the field. A research reactor was installed at Trinity Vercelli and began producing energy in 1964. There were then in Italy in the sixties, the conditions for a nuclear policy that would allow the country, among other things, to deal with much more confidence and independence major energy crises of 1973 and 1979.
The military part of the program, however, had been abandoned along the road. [...] The vicissitudes of Italian politics after the crisis of the center-left and the elections of 1972 had the effect of reopening the debate in government on the nuclear choice of Italian foreign policy. There were more ambitious plans for the civilian use of nuclear energy. It was always a civilian program, if necessary, to have implications and military implications. He was civilian or military, for example, the ship Enrico Fermi (unit of logistic support nuclear-powered) that the Navy had decided to build it in December of 1966? When the reactor Italy became critical of the ship tried to buy two tons of enriched uranium necessary for its operation, the U.S. argued that the project had military features and denied their support. [...] Much of what happened in subsequent years, the industrious energy programs adopted after the oil shocks of the fateful referendum in November 1987 with the programs of the "civilian nuclear power" were made impossible, is the result of the two great sacrifices of the Fifties and seventies. After being one of the most advanced and enterprising in the field of nuclear research, Italy had progressively dismantled its best out of institutions and was one of the most promising and critical areas of modern science. The damage was irreparable. The country has lost prestige and bargaining power has become, for its energy needs, dangerously vulnerable, no longer able to keep pace with science and technology of the most dynamic countries. It is not enough. The arguments justifying these choices are blatantly contradicted by reality. The country has renounced nuclear weapons in the name of peace is home to foreign nuclear bases. The country withdrew its civilian nuclear energy in the name of health and the environment has been exposed to radiation from Chernobyl and import electricity from nuclear power plants a few hundred kilometers from its borders. The responsibility, ultimately, a political system is fragile, fluctuating closer to the mood of public opinion to the fundamental interests of the country.
The CAMENE
Amerigo Vaglini
The nuclear Pisa
notebook in history on CAMENE 1955-1985
Editions ETS, Pisa 2009
Few know that the business for over twenty years took place in the pine forest of S. Piero a Degree when, by a group of eminent physicists who worked within the educational facilities of the Naval Academy, took shape a nuclear research facility, in an age still be considered pioneering, Pisa has made an art center for the study of nuclear energy. The RTS-1 experimental reactor Galileo Galilei worked for about two decades, thanks to the enthusiasm and professionalism of the staff that was intended and which the book is a necessary memory and recognition for their important work.
nuclear power stations WORLDWIDE
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