Chapter 837 Expedited Production
April 12, 1935, 5 days after the second atomic bomb test.
Arthur looked at the three sets of data on his desk, which were in stark contrast, and looked at Einstein with some surprise. He couldn't help asking, "Is this the atomic bomb data you tested a few days ago?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Einstein nodded, as if he had expected Arthur's surprise.
"The first set of data is the gun-type atomic bomb we tested for the first time, and the second and third sets of data are our improved uranium 235 atomic bomb and plutonium 239 atomic bomb respectively." Einstein introduced.
"The improved uranium 235 atomic bomb has an explosive equivalent of 3,200 tons of TNT, and the nuclear material utilization rate is at least 10%? The plutonium 239 atomic bomb has an explosive equivalent of 5,000 tons, and the nuclear material utilization rate is at least 15%?" Arthur never thought that the data of the second nuclear weapon test would be so different from the first.
Of course, this is a good thing for Australasia.
You should know that these three atomic bombs are test bombs. The first atomic bomb only contains one kilogram of uranium 235 as nuclear material, and the other two atomic bombs only contain 1.5 kilograms of uranium 235 and plutonium 239.
In normal combat, it is definitely impossible to load only such a small amount of nuclear material.
The two atomic bombs dropped by the Americans on the island country, the first one contains a full 64 kilograms of uranium 235, and the second one also contains 6.1 kilograms of plutonium 239, which is much larger in volume than these test bombs.
Theoretically, the more nuclear materials loaded, the greater the power of the atomic bomb when it explodes.
Although it cannot be calculated in simple multiples, if the atomic bombs in Australasia are generally loaded with more than 6 kilograms of plutonium 239, doesn't this mean that the explosive power of a single atomic bomb can reach a terrifying 30,000 tons of TNT equivalent?
The explosive power of an atomic bomb with a TNT equivalent of 30,000 tons is equivalent to triggering an earthquake of magnitude 5 or above. This also means that as long as an atomic bomb is dropped on the enemy's city, it can cause a huge blow to the city.
Is it costly to make an atomic bomb?
Of course it is.
But if an atomic bomb can be exchanged for the destruction of an enemy city, such a cost is relatively low for Australasia.
"Are you sure such data is stable? Or is the explosion equivalent not stable?" Arthur asked with some expectation.
If such explosion data can occur stably, it means that Australasia can start making atomic bombs immediately and use a large number of atomic bombs as its final trump card.
"Your Majesty, according to our many calculations, such data is relatively reasonable." Einstein replied: "After the design of the ordinary atomic bomb is improved, the utilization rate of uranium 235 can reach more than 8%, and the utilization rate of plutonium 239 can reach more than 13%."
Arthur nodded excitedly, staring at Einstein, and asked the question he was most concerned about: "Can the nuclear weapons research and development test team start mass production of atomic bombs? If we produce at all costs, what scale can our atomic bomb production reach?"
"Your Majesty, the other structures of the atomic bomb are easy to manufacture, and they are not the reason for limiting the production of atomic bombs. For us, the only factor that limits the production of atomic bombs is the production speed of nuclear materials, which is also what we must solve at present." Einstein replied.
Judging from the industrial scale of Australasia, other parts of the atomic bomb are easy to manufacture, and even a large number of atomic bomb frames are manufactured every day.
But the problem is that without the internal nuclear material, the atomic bomb frame is just the simplest detonation device, which is actually useless.
In order to increase the production speed of nuclear materials, a large number of nuclear reactors must be built to increase the production of plutonium 239.
Because plutonium 239 is a new element produced during nuclear reactions. In order to increase the production of plutonium 239, a large amount of uranium 235 must be separated from uranium ore for nuclear reactions.
In the final analysis, the most important thing at present is to build a large number of centrifuges to separate a large amount of uranium 235 from uranium ore.
"At present, the manufacture of atomic bombs is the top priority of the country, and any resources must first be tilted towards the nuclear weapons research and development test team." Arthur ordered: "On behalf of the government, I will allocate 5 million Australian dollars to the nuclear weapons research and development test team.
This money will be used to build larger-scale centrifuges to increase the speed of the nuclear weapons research and development test team to extract uranium 235.
With 30,000 tons of TNT equivalent as the basic template, whether it is uranium 235 atomic bomb or plutonium 239 atomic bomb, I hope that the nuclear weapons research and development test team can achieve a production of at least 5 atomic bombs per year.
At the same time, a part of the manpower will be transferred to carry out Miniaturization of nuclear weapons. You should also understand the project of the missile development team. If nuclear weapons can be carried on missiles, this will become the weapon with the longest attack range and the greatest power in human history.
The manufacturing of atomic bombs is the primary task, and the miniaturization of nuclear weapons is the secondary task. On this basis, we will provide people, money and materials.
You can notify Hunter first of all the problems you encounter, and he will handle all the troubles for you. Tell those guys in the nuclear weapons development and testing team that I have prepared titles and medals for them. How soon they can get them depends on their efforts. "
The development of nuclear weapons is definitely a national event, and Arthur will never be stingy with these researchers who develop nuclear weapons.
What Arthur said is true. After the first nuclear weapon test explosion, Arthur had already begun to draft rewards for these nuclear weapon researchers.
The scientists headed by him received the most generous rewards, and the minimum was a baron.
Especially Einstein, the leader of the nuclear weapon test and development team. With various merits accumulated, he will become the top group of researchers and be the first to get the title of earl.
In addition to these titles, there will be no shortage of various medals, assets and financial rewards.
However, because of the need for absolute confidentiality in nuclear weapons, the titles awarded to them are only scientific research projects, and the specific content of their research and development will not be disclosed.
"I understand, Your Majesty. With your support, it is not difficult to achieve an annual output of 5 atomic bombs. But if we want to carry out miniaturized research and development of nuclear weapons on the basis of producing five atomic bombs, I am afraid we still need the help of experts in related fields." Einstein nodded and said.
The miniaturization of atomic bombs is easy to say, but it is also difficult to do.
Even if it can be successfully miniaturized, it is necessary to consider how the atomic bomb after miniaturization can cooperate with the missile to achieve the best state.
This also means that the experts in missile research and development must help to achieve the combination of atomic bombs and missiles.
Arthur would naturally not refuse Einstein's request.
Speaking of which, missile research and development has been stagnant so far, and there will not be much progress in a short period of time.
Combining with nuclear weapons is obviously a project that can produce results quickly. If missiles and nuclear weapons can be successfully combined before the outbreak of World War II, it will be a global nuclear deterrent for Australasia.
Of course, this global nuclear deterrent capability is actually quite clumsy. Moreover, for some remote inland areas, missiles are obviously not available.
Rather than saying it is a global nuclear deterrent, it is better to say that it is a nuclear deterrent to all coastal countries in the world. Especially for coastal countries like island countries with too much strategic depth, the deterrence to these countries is huge.
With enough nuclear weapons reserves, Australasia can even completely destroy the coastal cities of the island country, causing the island country to fall from the level of a great power to the level of a small country.
This is a huge change to the existing war concept. Before this, although there were many ways to destroy a country, there were generally only two ways.
One is to achieve full occupation and completely assimilate a country in a long history. The other is to achieve complete division, so that a unified country is divided into multiple small countries, and multiple small countries are mutually checked.
But both methods have a problem, that is, it is difficult to assimilate or split a particularly powerful country.
Most of the defeated countries in World War I retained their vitality. Even the Austrian Empire, which lost Hungary, can still be regarded as one of the great powers.
But in future wars, Australasia can completely defeat the island country with its own means.
Every atomic bomb that falls to the ground represents the casualties of hundreds of thousands or even millions of people in the island country.
At present, the population of the island country is only tens of millions. If it is done more cruelly, the population of the island nation can even be reduced to the level of millions.
Of course, doing so would be too crazy, and would greatly affect Arthur's reputation in history.
After all, the most brutal generals in human history who slaughtered enemies only reached the level of hundreds of thousands or millions.
If this nation is really made to reach the level of millions, the number of islanders that Australasia needs to slaughter will be as high as tens of millions.
This number is higher than the total damage to humans in World War I. If Arthur really did this, although it would be very gratifying, the blow to Australasia and Arthur's reputation would be enough to make Australasia's subsequent rule turbulent.
For the island country, Arthur already has a certain way of dealing with it in his mind.
Nuclear weapons must be deployed, and the island country must be given a heavy trauma to make this dog obedient.
Secondly, if controlled well, this extreme nation of the island country also has certain value.
On the premise of quickly defeating the island country, the government of the island country can be controlled, and a large island army can be formed to help Australasia's expedition to Europe.
These islanders will become cannon fodder with certain value and can be lost at will, just like the Filipinos and Kalimantans.
Moreover, the location of the island countries can also limit the development of the now unified Russia.
Arthur still has some fears about the current Russia. After Nicholas II fled to London, the Russian government has achieved complete control over all Russian territories.
A unified and innovative Russia, coupled with a population of hundreds of millions of Russians, as well as Russia's vast territory and rich mineral resources, the potential shown by this country is even greater than that of Australasia.
After all, Australasia's population has always been a problem. Facing Russia, which has a population more than twice its own, it is naturally at a disadvantage.
Of course, Russia's vast territory is also a problem for Russia. Although they have the largest local population of hundreds of millions among the great powers, the vast majority of them are concentrated in Eastern Europe.
Russians seldom voluntarily set foot in the vast Siberia and Far East. Apart from the Russian troops, Russians can only be seen in a few cities and warmer places.
For Russia, the manpower and materials required to govern such a vast territory are also astronomical.
This is the new Russian government. If it was the previous Tsar Nicholas government, the huge population and vast territory would have become a burden to the Tsarist government.
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