Europol nabs sim hacking,cloning network throughout Europe

SIM Swapping (SIM hijacking or SIM hacking) is rapidly becoming the biggest threat to mobile service providers and mobile users alike. Through this technique, a fraudster can obtain the original SIM card of the victim’s number by trapping the operator and perform all kinds of frauds such as peeforming transaction or spreading the malware along with stealing sensitive private and financial data of the user.

In 2018 and 2019, there was a sudden surge in SIM swapping attacks, for instance, authorities in California arrested a man for carrying out SIM and swapping attack stealing millions of dollars from the victim after hacking their SIM card.

In another incident, a 20-year-old man from New York was arrested for stealing 1 million Us $ from a Silicon Valley Exec through SIM-swapping.

However, Europol has certainly identified the seriousness of this threat and Operation Quinientos Dusim and Operation Smart Cash are proof of this. Reportedly, law enforcement agencies across Europe, primarily from Romania, Spain, and Austria with the support of Europol have arrested a large number of SIM swappers operating in Europe.

Under Operation Quinientos Dusim, Policía Nacional (Spanish National Police), Guardia Civil (Spanish Civil Guard), and Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre investigators collectively targeted suspected SIM swappers in Spain, who were supposedly members of a large-scale hacking group.

This group had stolen more than €3 million through SIM swapping attacks. During the operation, 12 suspects were arrested from Benidorm, 1 from Valladolid, and 5 from Granada.

Under the Operation Smart Cash, law enforcement authorities in Austria and Romania arrested 14 suspected members of another gang involved in SIM swapping. The group comprises of individuals aged between 22 and 52 who hail from Romania, Italy, Colombia, and Spain. This group has so far conducted 100 attacks and stolen between €6,000 and €137,000 from different bank accounts of victims.  

The SIM swappers utilized a relatively straightforward technique to fulfill their malicious tasks. They obtained the online banking credentials of their victims using hacking tools like banking trojan. After obtaining the credentials, they contacted the victim’s mobile service provider and requested a duplicate SIM card of the same number the victim was using by providing fake documents. 

This enabled them to carry out transactions since 2FA  requires the user to enter a security code sent to the mobile phone number, which the attacker could easily access. Attackers could transfer money from the victim’s accounts conveniently as they had the security code, and the entire process was complete within 2 hours only, which is why the victim couldn’t even detect anything.

The money was then transferred between money mule accounts. Austrian and Romanian SIM swappers employed the same technique but the used ATMs to withdraw cash using a mobile app instead of a payment card.

“Fraudsters are always coming up with new ways to steal money from the accounts of unsuspecting victims. Although seemingly innocuous, SIM swapping robs victims of more than just their phones: SIM highjackers can empty your bank account in a matter of hours. Law enforcement is gearing up against this threat, with coordinated actions happening across Europe,”  Ruizsaid Fernando, acting Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre.

Remember, SIM swapping can be prevented if you add a PIN code to your smartphone account. But, the process of doing so is different for every carrier, so you need to contact the related carrier in order to do it. You may also set up a verbal password to further complicate the verification process.

Cookiethief Android malware hijacks Facebook accounts by using browser cookies it transfers to the attacker’s C&C server.

Did you know as of 2019, Android and Facebook had more than 2.5 billion active users? While this is great for global connectivity it also makes both platforms lucrative targets for hackers. 

Recently, Kaspersky Labs researchers discovered a new strain of malware that is targeting Android devices and so far it has claimed around 1,000 victims with the number growing higher every passing day.

Dubbed rather interestingly by researchers as Cookiethief; this Trojan aims to acquire “superuser root rights on the target device, and subsequently, transfer stolen cookies to a remote command-and-control (C2) server operated by attackers,” researchers wrote in their blog post.

It is worth noting that the exploitation doesn’t occur because of a security vulnerability in the web browser of the Facebook app but because of the cookies. It is no secret that browsers store cookiesfrom all the websites and apps a user visits in order to display relevant results.

Cookies are, basically, tiny bits of information that help in differentiating between users, monitor browsing activities, and display ads. However, this Trojan, transfers cookies that the browser or Facebook app uses and sends it to the attacker’s C&C server. Interestingly, the malware can steal cookies from all the websites and apps easily.

The reason Cookiethief is a cause of concern is that apart from storing information about user’s browsing preferences, cookies also store a unique session ID on the device, which the websites use to identify a user without asking for login information or password.

Therefore, through cookies cybercriminals can easily hijack the victim’s profile without acquiring a login ID or password, and use the account for personal gains. The researchers also identified a web page on the C&C server, which is used for marketing spam distribution services on web messengers and social networks.

Kaspersky researchers also identified another app dubbed “Youzicheng” using a similar coding method and communicating with the same C&C server. It is assumed that the same developer is behind this app as well and its purpose is to run a proxy on the targeted device to bypass the security systems of the social network or web messenger so that the attacker’s website request looks legit.

Moreover, through the two techniques, attackers can fully control the account without alerting Facebook. nevertheless, Cookiethief can invade almost any device through being embedded into the firmware during the development phase or while purchasing, or else, it can exploit Android security flaws to access the system and download other malicious software such as Bood backdoor.

The good news is that these apps are not available on the Play Store yet. Therefore, refrain from downloading apps from a third-party app store, install reliable anti malware and keep an eye on permissions your apps ask for.

Firefox's new update helps user use Facebook without being tracked by forming a container that takes care of you not being tracked.

The Firefox browser in its latest update has a feature that prevents Facebook from tracking users on the web. The addition of the function comes in the wake of increasing cyber-attacks the vulnerability of our personal data.

The Firefox 74 slams Facebook into solitary confinement with its Facebook Container add on. The add on is not new but has been refined in the latest update and has the ability to add custom sites to the container so that you can "login with Facebook wherever you need to".

The container’s main motive is to allow the user to use Facebook freely on the internet without their activities being tracked by the social networking site. The extension achieves this by closing your Facebook Tabs, deleting your Facebook cookies and also logging you out of Facebook.

When a user visits Facebook and logs in, the cookies planted are isolated to the container only. The restricts Facebook Like button and embedded comments from working on other sites. Pages that ask you to login via Facebook are also contained with the container and does not leak on to other sites.

Sites are added by clicking a fence icon and selecting "Allow site in Facebook container." The workings resemble two separate browsers out of which one is the container where Facebook has knowledge of your activities but is only limited to your time in the container and the other is the actual browser where there is no influence of Facebook tracking you.

 The add on is a great feature for protecting your privacy and keeping those creepy ads away.

This is what you must know about your phone battery

I remember talking about the internal chemistry of a Lithium ion battery and I have heard many people ask me to re explain!!! But here am not going to put in too much science as I discovered many of you did not get much info in the earliest post about phone batteries.
Mobile phones and tablets these days come with different types of batteries and it is their quality that decides how much energy they can store and hence how long the device can be operated with a single charge.

There are also limitations on size and weight as a big battery would make the device heavy and bulky, which is not a comfortable option. So, designers work on basically three parameters of a battery - chemical composition, size, and weight.

In terms of chemical composition, there are only two types of batteries used in modern cell phones Lithium Polymer and Lithium Ion.

Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly) Batteries

Li-Poly is the latest and most advanced technology for cell phone batteries. This makes the batteries ultra-lightweight, they do not suffer from memory effect and will deliver up to 40 per cent more battery capacity than a Nickel Metal Hybrid (NiMH) (one that you use in your camera) of the same size.

"Memory effect" happens when rechargeable batteries are not fully discharged between charge cycles; as a result the battery "remembers" the shortened cycle and is thus reduces its capacity. Devices like Blackberry PlayBook, Samsung Galaxy S3 use this type of battery.

Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) Batteries

This is the older and most popular technology for cell phone batteries. The only real drawback of Lithium Ion cell phone batteries is that they are expensive. However, they have higher energy density compared to Li-Polymer.

Both Li-ion and Li Polymer batteries have the same chemical composition but the difference lies in their tendency to overheat. Because of this, Lithium Ion batteries have an active protection circuit--essentially an onboard computer--that prevents the battery from overheating and potentially bursting into flame.

Lithium polymer batteries do not need the active protection circuit, which is why it is possible to manufacture them in sizes as small as a credit card.

Another feature that distinguishes different batteries is its usage patter - replaceable and non-replaceable.

In case of non-replaceable battery, it is called a Li-ion pouch cell which is a sealed bag containing carefully layered anode and cathode sheets, with separators between them. All of these layers are infused with a liquid electrolyte.

At one end of the battery, a printed circuit board (PCB) is connected to the positive and negative terminals of each cell that provides active protection against short circuits, overcharge, and forced discharge. Li-ion pouch cells tend to be fragile and rely on the smartphone case for protection, and so officially are not user-replaceable. This basically reduces the need for a separate battery casing which is the case with user replaceable batteries. Please note that these casing constitute most of the volume of the battery.

Circuits also determine how much power can be stored. Ever since Li-Ion technology came into being in early nineties, a lot of work has gone into the making of better electronic circuit to manage the battery and thereby squeezing more energy into the same battery.

So which is the best type?

For the user, current battery technology doesn't offer much of choice, as it is for the manufacturers to make a choice, who has to decide the weight of the tablet or the smartphone. Lithium ion batteries have a greater energy capacity than Lithium Polymer batteries, so in devices that have higher current requirements, Lithium Ion batteries are preferred.

In devices where size is paramount, Lithium Polymer is the choice. Lithium ion batteries are also cheaper to manufacture than lithium polymer batteries, so when cost is a factor, lithium ion is the choice.
In terms of user replaceable batteries, size too is an important factor. Since bigger and more powerful devices need bigger batteries packed in smaller space, you will find the phones like iPhone, Nokia Lumia, HTC Sensation XL, HTC One X, Sony Xperia S do not offer user replaceable batteries.

What started with iPhone is now becoming a trend with even mid range devices like Xolo X900 which do not offer user replaceable battery. And only reason for this trend is the despite expectation of higher processing power and larger screen people are not ready to accept bulky devices and in that sense a battery without additional protective cover (which utilises phones' cover) is the preferred choice. For those who argue that you can buy additional battery if your get user replaceable battery, they still get battery packs for the non replaceable options.

Is you phone or battery fake?

Is you phone or battery fake?

CELLULAR PHONES

Counterfeit mobile phone manufacturers imitate all facets of a branded phone’s appearance to make their products appear genuine. The phone's outer shell and screen, the printed logos and branding, the packaging and the included accessories can all be copied, making it difficult to identify whether a phone is fake or genuine. When possible it is always preferable to buy a phone through a registered retailer or reseller who can vouch for a phone's authenticity. Yet with the prevalence of internet shopping and auction websites this may not be an option. Here are a few simple tips to help you identify whether a phone is genuine or fake:

KNOW THE PHONE
It is important to do a little research before buying a new phone. You should only buy a phone made by a trusted manufacturer. Before committing to a purchase you should know the phone's specific model number, available colours, features, what software and hardware comes included and what warranty is offered with the product. Information about a specific model of phone can be found on the manufacturer’s website or through a registered retailer. Once you have this information it will make the job of identifying a fake much easier.
APPEARANCE
On first glance a counterfeit phone may appear identical to a genuine model. On closer comparison you may be able to identify some obvious differences between a genuine and a fake such as: the colour, location of buttons, size or spelling of the brand name. Some fakes are less obvious. Counterfeiters are able to mimic design details down to minute details making it difficult to tell if a phone is genuine. If you are able to view the product in person you may be able to notice a difference in weight, screen size, location of buttons and battery, quality of printing and paint finish, added or missing functions, quality control stickers and holograms and an overall lack of quality.
FEATURES
Counterfeit phones can have differing features to genuine models, such as dual SIM cards, analogue TV etc. Check the model number and technical specifications of the genuine phone you wish to buy and ensure they match what is being offered. Counterfeit phones also often appear to offer features that are either just not there or that are not as they are said to be. For example, built-in cameras might be said to be 8 megapixel when they are not - or offer GPS when they don't. Counterfeit phones may also differ from a genuine in colour availability, memory capacity, camera megapixels, screen quality and operating system. It is important to compare technical features to ensure the phone is genuine.
FUNCTIONALITY
Black market phones are made from sub-standard and cheap components and often run on 2nd rate or pirated operating systems.Counterfeiters use cheap older generation chipsets, which may offer the same functionality as a genuine model but at far slower processing speeds.
If you have unknowingly purchased a fake phone you will realise very quickly once you turn it on. Processing speeds are often much slower, operating systems have missing features and the phone may not be compatible with affiliated software and applications.

AVAILABILITY
Counterfeit mobile phones tend to pour on to the market when a genuine model is out of stock or unavailable.Often if manufacturers and registered sellers say a model is out of stock or unavailable, counterfeits begin to appear on auction websites and through unregistered sellers. This is also common when a phone is not available in certain colours.
Beware, counterfeiters take this opportunity to deceive consumers when the genuine product is most in demand.

IMEI NUMBER
Every genuine mobile phone has a serial number to register it to a carrier network. This number is called the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. The IMEI number can be used to verify the legitimacy of a phone. Often counterfeit models won’t have an IMEI number or use a fake one.If you are viewing the phone in person then you can find the IMEI number on the product packaging, under the phone's battery or by pressing *06 on the phone.
If you are not viewing the phone in person then you should ask the retailer for the phone's IMEI number.
To check the legitimacy of a phone's IMEI number and any information regarding country of production, manufacturer and model type.

BATTERIES

How to spot fake batteries and chargers?
Mobile phone handsets are not the only electronic product targeted by counterfeiters. Black market cell phone batteries and chargers are also infiltrating the market posing a potential health and safety risk to consumers.Fake batteries and chargers are often offered as an after-market product, found on auction websites or in unregistered stores often at a significantly lower price than genuine products.
Given the uniform appearance of most mobile phone batteries and chargers, it can be difficult to identify what products are fake and which are genuine.
Here are a few simple tips to help you identify whether a battery and charger is genuine or fake:

Buy from a registered manufacturer and trusted retailer
You should only buy mobile phone accessories made by a trusted manufacturer.If you are looking to replace a battery or charger then you should refer to the original manufacturer’s information to make sure you purchase the appropriate battery or charger for your model of phone. It is important to note that you should only use a charger specified by the manufacturer to charge you mobile phone battery.
You should also attempt to buy your mobile phone accessories from a trusted retailer who can verify the authenticity of their products.

Appearance

Most mobile phone batteries and chargers look very similar, making it difficult to identify legitimate and fake products.
If you are able to inspect the product first-hand then you should look for signs of poor quality such as: inaccurate printing, misspelled wording, crooked label placement and signs of defective workmanship.
Some mobile phone manufacturers also place hologram stickers on their batteries, which are difficult to replicate by counterfeiters - although they do try.

Warranty

All genuine mobile phone manufacturers offer a limited warranty that covers the handset, software and accessories.
Most genuine accessories are covered for a certain period of time from the date of purchase by the original owner.
Registered manufacturers and sellers also offer customer support and servicing of damaged products.
Black market batteries and chargers rarely come with a warranty or offer customer support and servicing of damaged products.
It is important to keep the receipt for any mobile phone accessory you purchase so that you can make a warranty claim if the product is faulty. It is also beneficial to keep all proof of purchase in case you have bought a fake so that you can notify the relevant authorities.

Price

If the price sounds too good to be true then it probably is.
Counterfeit mobile phone batteries and chargers are made from cheap substandard components allowing them to be produced at a fraction of the price of genuine products.
Also, counterfeiters don’t have to invest in product research, design and safety testing. They don’t pay government taxes, import fees and are not bound by fair trade or minimum wage regulations for their employees.
All these factors mean fakes can be sold at a much lower price than a genuine product.

Apple to close business in China

Yesterday, Apple announced that it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June in “an entirely new online format” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook tweeted on Saturday that the company will temporarily close all of its retail stores outside China until 27 March in a bid to "prevent the spread of COVID-19", also known as the coronavirus.

The announcement comes after Apple said in a statement on Friday that “as of today, all of our stores in Greater China have reopened”.

In our workplaces and communities, we must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Apple will be temporarily closing all stores outside of Greater China until March 27 and committing $15M to help with worldwide recovery. https://t.co/ArdMA43cFJ

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 14, 2020

In the statement, Apple also pointed out that it is “taking additional steps to protect our team members and customers” now that “rates of new infections continue to grow in other places”.

“Extensive, deep cleaning will continue at all sites. In all our offices, we are rolling out new health screenings and temperature checks”, the statement stressed, adding that Apple is “matching our employee donations two-to-one to support COVID-19 response efforts locally, nationally, and internationally”.

Apple also announced that it "will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) scheduled for June in “an entirely new online format”.

The WWDC is typically held to announce Apple’s new products and software features.

Earlier, it was reported that the first day of this year’s conference will see the presentation of new versions of the operating systems iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, there are already more than 145,000 confirmed Corona virus cases in 123 countries across the world. The death toll currently stands at 5,429, with the number of those who have recovered now exceeding 71,700.

What May Help China's J-20 Warplane Dominate US F-35 According to Experts in Air Force technology in USA,China and Russia

The fifth-generation Chinese Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter, which entered service in 2017, is touted in China as a warplane capable of getting the better of the sophisticated US F-22 Raptor.

In an article for The National Interest on Thursday, the US magazine’s contributor Mark Episkopos focused on the advanced armaments of the Chinese stealth jet fighter J20, which he claimed may help it “dominate America's [state-of-the-art] F-35 [warplane]”.

The author recalled that among other things, the J-20 is armed with four long-range PL-15 missiles, which are equipped with active electronically scanned radars and feature a reported maximum range of up to 300 kilometres.

Two J-20 stealth fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force performs during the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China 2018, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Zhuhai city, south China's Guangdong province

Episkopos claimed that the PL-15’s “impressive specifications place it in the ranks of the top air-to-air missiles along with the European Meteor missile and Russian K-37M”.

According to him, the Chinese missile’s range is much higher than that of the US-made AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) counterpart, which is estimated to be 180 kilometres or less.

“The American F22 and F35 Jet fighters are now equipped with the latest AIM 120-D missiles, but a massive range deficit remains nonetheless. The challenge of the PL-15 comes on the heels of questions about the uncertain future of the aging AMRAAM system”, Episkopos noted.

In this context, he cited US Army Captain James Stoneman as saying in an interview with The National Interest that currently, “there is no program of record for a follow-on” and that the US military is “probably close to maxing it out”.

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F-35

Episkopos added that as for the PL-10, it may be called “China’s response” to the short-range AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles that the US sells to Taiwan.

“It is a bigger long-term concern”, the author goes on to say, that both the PL-10 and the PL-15 are “reportedly built with the latest anti-jamming technology at a time when the AIM-9X and AIM-120D are perceived as increasingly vulnerable to modern digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) jamming techniques”.

He concludes the piece by pointing out that with many details about the J-20’s characteristics “still unknown”, “the juxtaposition of the PL-15 and PL-10 inside the J-20’s frame can become a stark concern for the United States and some of its regional allies who continue to rely on aging AMRAAM technology”.

According to intelligence reports;US Mulls Producing Decoy Missiles to Confuse Enemy Air Defences which seen as a counter action against China and Russian successes in this field

The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) plans to clinch a contract with the American company Raytheon for the production of the Navy's Miniature Air Launch Decoy (MALD-N) missiles, defence news website Jane’s reports.

According to the news outlet, “no potential contract value, timeline, or MALD-N numbers” have been disclosed.

At the same time, Jane’s reported that NAVAIR is due “to issue a cost plus incentive-fee contract to Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS) for the commencement of low-rate initial production (LRIP) for the naval derivative of the US Air Force's (USAF's) ADM-160C MALD-Jammer (MALD-J) system”.

The MALD system’s goal is to confuse enemy air defence systems by duplicating friendly flight profiles and radar signatures of a manned fighter jet or a bomber.  

Jane’s notes that the MALD-J “provides for an additional electronic warfare capability to actively jam enemy air defences, and is the basis for the US Navy's (USN's) MALD-N derivative”.

MALD missiles can be launched from any warplane capable of carrying the Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Those aircraft include the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the F-35C Lightning II.

NAVAIR’s moves come after media reports in August 2018 said that the Pentagon reported a series of successful tests of MALD-N missiles carried out at Point Mugu in California.

NAVAIR’s current decision followed the National Security and Counterintelligence Centre's introduction of a strategy for 2020–2022 that ranks China and Russia as major threats.

“The United States is facing increasingly aggressive and complex threats from foreign intelligence services, as well as state and non-state actors”, the centre’s director, Bill Evanina, noted in an introduction to the strategy document.

The US Space Force has started operating a new offensive weapon system: an upgraded version of the ground-based satellite communications jamming system used to block adversary satellite transmissions.

The US Space Force has started operating a new offensive weapon system: an upgraded version of the ground-based satellite communications jamming system used to block adversary satellite transmissions.

The so-called Counter Communications System (CCS) was introduced in the US Air Force in 2004. The updated version, called CCS Block 10.2, reached initial operational capability on March 9 and is now operated by the Space Force.

— SMC (@AF_SMC) March 11, 2020

​"CCS is the only offensive system in the United States Space Force arsenal," Lieutenant Colonel Steve Brogan, the Combat Systems branch materiel leader within the Space Force's Space and Missile Systems Center's Special Programs Directorate, is quoted as saying in January by the drive. "This upgrade puts the 'force' in Space Force and is critical for Space as a warfighting domain."

The Space Force was established last December as the space warfare branch of the US Armed Forces, and is part of the Department of the Air Force.

The system has gone through several iterations. 

“CCS has had incremental upgrades since the early 2000s, which have incorporated new techniques, frequency bands, technology refreshes and lessons learned from previous block upgrades," Major Seth Horner, the CCS B10.2 Program Manager, said in January. "This specific upgrade includes new software capabilities to counter new adversary targets and threats."

While the Block 10.1 version introduced in 2014 consisted of seven systems, the Block 10.2 version will be made up of 16 systems.

Although details on exactly how the CCS functions aren’t clear, it is believed to be a jamming system that stops transmissions from adversary communication satellites.

The latest upgrade was completed by L3Harris Technologies, an American technology company and defense contractor.

During a March 4 House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing, Space Force Vice Commander Lieutenant General David Thompson told law makers the new branch was working on developing technologies "to protect and defend" America.

"We began prototyping and demonstrating and preparing for what I’ll call abilities to protect and defend our assets, and we did that extensively in the budget in [fiscal year 2020]," he said. “In [fiscal year 2021], we are now taking steps to extend that across the fleet, as well as look at other capabilities to be able to continue to defend those assets that we have and defend adversary use of space."

The US Department of Defense has awarded three multimillion-dollar contracts as it embarks on a two-year design competition to bring mobile nuclear microreactors to US military troops in an effort to keep up with nuclear developments made by Russia and China.

The US Department of Defense has awarded three multimillion-dollar contracts as it embarks on a two-year design competition to bring mobile nuclear microreactors to US military troops in an effort to keep up with nuclear developments made by Russia and China.
A total of $39.7 million in contracts was split between three companies on Monday by the Pentagon, initiating a two-step plan to bring nuclear power to US forces in a variety of conditions.
According to the March 9 Department of Defense news release , the Virginia-based BWX Technologies was awarded $13.5 million, $14.3 million was issued to Westinghouse Government Services of Washington, DC, and Maryland’s X-energy received $11.9 million from the Pentagon.
The nuclear power effort comes as part of Project Pele , a “mobile microreactor program using a two-phased approach to mitigate project and technical risk” that is headed by the Department of Defense’s Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO).
Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Robert Carver told Defense News that Project Pele “involves the development of a safe, mobile and advanced nuclear microreactor to support a variety of Department of Defense missions such as generating power for remote operating bases.”
He explained that the three companies will be given a “two-year design-maturation period” before the Pentagon chooses which company will develop and demonstrate a prototype.
“The United States risks ceding nuclear energy technology leadership to Russia and China,” SCO Director Jay Dryer said in the departmental release. “By retaking technological leadership, the United States will be able to supply the most innovative advanced nuclear energy technologies.”
Dr. Jeff Waksman, program manager of Project Pele, was also quoted in the release and said that the Project Pele is unique due to the “reactor’s mobility and safety.”
“We will leverage our industry partners to develop a system that can be safely and rapidly moved by road, rail, sea or air and for quick set up and shut down, with a design which is inherently safe,” he noted.
The Pentagon predicts that the developed microreactors will significantly reduce the department’s investment in power infrastructure and promote the “sustainment of operations for extended periods of time anywhere on the planet.”
According to the Department of Defense’s current estimates, the Pentagon uses “30 terrawatt hours of electricity per year and more than 10 million gallons of fuel per day.”