Hi Guys

Seems the USAF want to put nukes on UAVs and UCAVs to give them several MONTHs of flight time...

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993406

...according to the article they won't use RTGs or nuclear reactors [how could you fit one in a UAV???] Instead they'll be using an x-ray pumped Hafnium reactor - something very surprising when I read it. Apparently some researchers discovered the reaction in 1999. Hafnium 178 [a fission by-product???] hit by x-rays puts out up to 60 times the energy put into it as its isotopes undergo nuclear transitions and release gamma-rays.

The USAF think it's safer than standard nukes since the reaction needs the x-rays to release energy and Hafnium 178 isn't a nasty radioactive. If it's feasible it will enable their plans for very long-duration UAVs.

I wonder how much Hafnium 178 is lying around?

Could be an easier way to make nuclear rockets? Replace RTGs?

Adam