Pakistan builds new reactor for plutonium production

ISIS : David Albright and Paul Brannan of the Institute for Science and International Security have analysed new satellite pictures of the Khushab nuclear site, the home to Pakistan’s only plutonuim production reactor. They have concluded that a new reactor is being built that could increase Pakistan nuclear weapon capability by a factor of 20. Pakistan currently relies on 30-50 uranium warheads for its nuclear security which would be delivered to their targets by aircraft. Weapons made with plutonium warheads however, would be easier to mount on Pakistan’s medium and long range missiles, increasing the effectiveness of the country’s nuclear response. The size of the new reactor, which is twice the size of the existing reactor, suggests it could produce enough plutoium for 40 to 50 warheads per year. “South Asia may be heading for a nuclear arms race that could lead to arsenals growing into the hundreds of nuclear weapons, or at minimum, vastly expanded stockpiles of military fissile material,” says Albright and Brannan. The Washington Post also has some analysis of the report.