Pakistan’s Khushab Plutonium Production Complex, located 125 miles south of Islamabad, is dedicated to the production of plutonium for nuclear weapons. Its expansion appears to be part of an effort to increase the production of weapons-grade plutonium, allowing Pakistan to build a larger number of miniaturized plutonium-based nuclear weapons that can complement its existing highly enriched uranium nuclear weapons.
By Various Sources
Pakistan’s
Khushab Plutonium Production Complex, located 125 miles south of Islamabad, is dedicated
to the production of plutonium for nuclear weapons. Its expansion appears to be
part of an effort to increase the production of weapons-grade plutonium,
allowing Pakistan to build a larger number of miniaturized plutonium-based
nuclear weapons that can complement its existing highly enriched uranium
nuclear weapons.
Originally,
the site consisted of a heavy water production plant and an estimated 50
megawatt-thermal (MWth) heavy water reactor, both of which became operational
in the 1990s. However, Pakistan initiated the construction of a second heavy
water reactor between the year 2000 and 2002, a third one in 2006, and a fourth
one in 2011.
Kindly Note:
Khushab Nuclear Complex, like that at Kahuta, is not subject to International
Atomic Energy Agency inspections.
The recent
imagery shows that two previously unseen types of activity are taking place at
the site. First, vegetation has been eliminated in a large central area between
reactor 1 (see figure 1) and reactors 2 and 3 (see figure 2). It is difficult to establish
whether this desertification is intentional or not. If intentional, it could
potentially signify that Pakistan is preparing the grounds for future
construction activities. Second, both December 2014 and January 2015 images
show that some new construction activity is taking place in the south-west
corner of the Khushab site, south of reactors 2, 3, and 4 (see figure 4). It is
not yet clear what this activity is. One possibility that cannot be ruled out
is that this activity could be for the construction of another reactor.
Figure 1
Figure 2
A comparative
analysis of the construction activities for reactors 2, 3, and 4 highlights
several similarities. First of all, the new construction area is located close
to Khushab’s heavy water production plant. Second, the area is surrounded by a
security perimeter that is, in shape and size (see figure 3, 1 km by 1 km), very similar to
the perimeter surrounding reactors 2, 3, and 4. Third, the foundations that are
visible within this security perimeter are, in shape and size, very similar to
the foundation work that was done for the construction of reactor 4. However,
analysis of this new image also highlights a feature that is not consistent
with the construction of a reactor similar to reactors 2, 3, and 4. The
foundations are not located precisely in the center of the security perimeter,
rather more toward the south end of it, closer to the river. On balance, it is too early to make a
definitive assessment on what this construction is meant for.
Figure 3
Vegetation
Anomaly of the Site:
The Khushab
facility is characterized by a rather profound vegetation anomaly, that is
visible even in the low resolution browse chips of medium resolution imagery
from SPOT and LANDSAT-7. This vegetation anomaly is the result of differential
grazing, a product of the security perimeter around the facility.
The Reactor Classifications:
Khushab-1:
Khushab 1, a derivative of CIRUS reactor, was commissioned in March 1996 and had gone critical and began production in early 1998. It is a 50 MWt Heavy water and natural uranium research reactor for production of plutonium and tritium.
Khushab-2:
The construction of Khushab-2 started in 2001 and was completed in 2009. It went in to critical phase in 2010.It is a 50 MWt Heavy water reactor producing 11-15 kilogram of plutonium and tritium a year for the Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.
Khushab-3
The construction of Khushab 3 started in 2006 and was completed in 2010 and it went in production in October 2013. It is a 50 MWt Heavy water reactor producing 11-15 kilogram of plutonium and tritium a year for the aforesaid program.
Khushab-4
The construction of Khushab-4 started in 2011. By 2012, the construction was roughly 50 percent finished and by end of 2014 overall construction was completed. This reactor site allegedly generates plutonium for tactical nuclear warheads. From satellite imagery, the overall structure appears to be different from earlier reactors.
In 1996 China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation sold a special industrial
furnace and high-tech diagnostic equipment. It was subsequently reported that
the equipment was intended for the Khushab facility. High temperature furnaces
are used to mold uranium or plutonium. On top of that Pakistan succeeded in
illicitly acquiring a tritium purification and storage plant, and tritium
precursor materials from two German firms through AQ Khan clandestine network. The United States apparently obtained a commitment from China not to supply the heavy water necessary to start up this un-safeguarded plutonium production reactor. But in March 1998 it was reported that China had eventually supplied Pakistan with far more heavy water than needed to operate the safeguarded KANUPP nuclear power reactor, suggesting that Pakistan would be able to divert heavy water from the civilian plant to the Khushab Nuclear Complex.
Proximity Distance to PAF Base Mushaf & Central Ammunition Depot, Kirana Hills - Sargodha
PAF Base Musaf
a.k.a Sargodha Air Base, located west of Lahore, hosts the Headquarters of the
Central Air Command, one of three combatant air commands on the Pakistani Air
Force. Aircraft currently based at this facility include two squadrons of
General Dynamics F-16A fighters. The base is also the site of the Pakistan Air
Force Combat Commander School. The distance from the base to Khushab Complex is
just 29.2 miles/47.1 Km by Air and to Central Ammunition Depot, Kirana Hills is 6.9 miles/ 12 Km by Air.
Central
Ammunition Depot, Kirana Hills (Proximity Distance - 31 miles/50 Km by Air from Khushab
Complex) near Sargodha holds a vast inventory of China supplied M-11 missiles, (an
export version of DF-11) which are rechristened as Shaahen I (Range: 750 Km) and Shaheen II (Range : 100-300 Km) by the Pakistanis. The Shaheens are land-based supersonic surface-to-surface medium-range
guided ballistic missile with a suitable delivery mechanism for a conventional
high-explosive warhead or a nuclear warhead. Pakistani military has constructed
storage sheds for these missiles and for their Transporter Erector Launchers (TEL), as well as related
maintenance facilities and housing for launch crews. Reportedly soldiers have also
been sighted practicing simulated launches with advice from visiting Chinese
experts. At the time of crisis the M-11/ Shaheen missiles could be deployed at Gujranwala, Okara, Multan, Jhang and Dera Nawab
Shah, where defence communication terminals have been already set-up.
Conclusion:
Khushab Complex is the heart of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program and major feeder to over all deterrence and readiness of the nation. The presence of high density air defense systems within the complex and close proximity to PAF Mushaf Base and Central Ammunition Depot proves its vital importance within the network.
References:
1. Pakistan’s
Fourth Reactor at Khushab Now Appears Operational by David Albright and Serena
Kelleher-Vergantini, January 16, 2015
2. Pakistan’s Khushab
Nuclear Complex http://fas.org/nuke/guide/pakistan/facility/khushab.htm
3. External Work
on Pakistan Plutonium Reactor Looks Nearly Done by Rachel Oswald, Global
Security Newswire, http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/external-work-pakistans-fourth-plutonium-reactor-khushab-appears-almost-done/
