Naval Reactors - History

History

Soon after his U.S. Navy service during World War II, Admiral Hyman G. Rickover became an early convert to the idea of nuclear marine propulsion. Assigned to the Bureau of Ships in September 1947, Rickover received training in nuclear power at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and worked with the bureau to explore the possibility of nuclear ship propulsion. In February 1949 he received an assignment to the Division of Reactor Development, United States Atomic Energy Commission and then assumed control of the Navy's effort as Director of the Naval Reactors Branch in the Bureau of Ships.

As noted above, the office was originally a joint activity of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Ships. When the AEC was abolished, Naval Reactors became a joint effort of the Navy and the Energy Research and Development Administration, which partly replaced the AEC. In 1977, ERDA was combined with the Federal Energy Administration to form the US Department of Energy. On the Navy side of the organization, the Bureau of Ships has given way since the 1950s to the Naval Sea Systems Command, within which NR is Code 08, usually abbreviated NAVSEA 08.

Within seven years of its inception, the organization that developed out of this concept would put into operation the nation's first power reactor (the Nautilus prototype). The following four years would see three more nuclear submarines and two reactor plant prototypes operating and another seven ships and two prototypes being built. To date, more reactors have been built and safely operated by the NR program than any other U.S. program.

Hyman G. Rickover parleyed an impressive personal publicity effort and intensive links with the United States Congress into an unprecedented tenure situation as head of Naval Reactors whereby he could not be relieved by conventional military procedures.(Rockwell, Theodore (2002). The Rickover Effect. Lincoln, NE: IUniverse. p. 155. ISBN 0-595-25270-2) He was promoted successively, partially as a result of Congressional involvement, until he reached the rank of full Admiral and held the position for over thirty years from 1949 to February 1, 1982. Due to the unique dual DOD/DOE superiors of the position, succeeding Directors of Naval Reactors (NAVSEA 08) were given extended tour lengths (eight years) as well.

The Director of Naval Reactors also serves as a Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration.