Thread by @SenftPatrick

🇺🇸 - 🇨🇳

The #US @DeptofDefense just announced that #Russia was supplying "highly enriched Uranium" to #China.

Now, why would China do that?

A brief 🧵

Source: defense.gov/News/News-Stor…

What is highly enriched Uranium?

Basically, Uranium comes in many atomic configuration. U-238 is the most common & U-235 is the one we get the energy from.
Depending on the concentration of U-235 we call it: natural, low-enriched (for energy) or high-enriched (for weapons).

However, not all highly-enriched Uranium (HEU) is created equal. HEU covers anything with more than 20% U-235. But, nuclear weapons require at least 80% U-235; modern ones contain 85% and more.

Still, we don't know how highly enriched the #Russian Uranium for #China is.

So, HEU is not necessary to produce energy.

What use could China draw from Uranium that is more highly enriched than it needs to be for energy?

Produce nuclear weapons, which would be a handy deterrent for when #China invades #Taiwan.

An option. But I doubt that!

China has vocally opposed the threat of nuclear weapons in the #RussiaUkraineWar. So, getting weapons grade Uranium from Russia, now, would be quite a 180.

politico.eu/article/china-…

But China could use highly enriched Uranium for another purpose: to power its nuclear submarines - specifically the Type 094 or Jin-class subs.

Due to their small size, nuclear submarines require more highly enriched Uranium (usually ~50%).

Nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered submarines (like the Jin-class) are the ultimate deterrent.

They can remain submerged basically indefinitely (thus making them very difficult to detect) and launch their nuclear missiles from close range (making them very difficult to intercept).

Currently, China has six Jin-class submarines. However, even if the Russian Uranium wouldn't power nuclear-armed subs, being able to interdict military or civilian shipping (to an attacked Taiwan) would still be a great deterrent for international involvement when China invades.

So, do I know that China is receiving highly enriched Uranium to power its submarines?

No‼️

However, it is noteworthy that China is receiving HEU (of all things) from Russia (of all places).

Even low enriched Uranium from RU wouldn't draw global attention like this.

China could get low enriched Uranium from its African partners. But it doesn't.

So, receiving highly enriched Uranium from Russia has to be worth it.

I can't imagine it's for nuclear weapons. But nuclear-powered submarines need such Uranium, and they'd be worth it.

A selection of sources:
military-today.com/navy/jin_class…

ee.stanford.edu/~hellman/sts15…

google.com/amp/s/www.chin…

rand.org/topics/nuclear…

@CovertShores, @Osinttechnical, @stoa1984 , @ipacglobal , @CollinSLKoh, @alessionaval, @EU_NonProlif, @SCMPNews.