Terrorists do not need nuclear devices. All they need is to compromise a nuclear power plant upwind of a major population center. Although most nuclear reactor containments can probably withstand all but direct hits by Boeing 747s, the same cannot be said for the nuclear waste ponds surrounding nuclear power plants.
The US has not yet developed a secure national nuclear waste depository. Thus, nuclear wastes are stored "temporarily" at nuclear power plants. Unfortunately, there are decades of such waste. These wastes are "hot", and must be constantly cooled by water, usually in ponds. If the water-cooling were to be compromised, these wastes can fission, or "burn", and commence a plume of radiation into the atmosphere, which distributes down wind. An effect similar to, and possibly greater than, Chernobyl could occur.
If a terrorist were to belly flop an airliner into a waste pond, or otherwise compromise the cooling systems for nuclear waste containment, the results could be catastrophic. Immediate protection of all nuclear power plants against aircraft impact is indicated.
For the short term, Vulcan/Phalanx weapons systems for defense against aircraft should be deployed at all sites, suitably sited to cover all potential directions of attack. These systems would have to be adequately secured against terrorist ground assault, as these weapons could be used offensively against the nuclear power plant and waste facilities. A "failsafe" procedure for operation of the weapon systems should be provided for.
In the long term, a high-energy laser, or other focused energy beam, weapon system capable of destroying all present and foreseeable aircraft prior to penetration of the critical air space of a nuclear power plant should be deployed at all sites. These high-energy weapons systems will especially benefit from being located within nuclear power plants due to the presence of high amounts of electrical energy immediately available for use by such weapon.
These sites could be computer-controlled and automatically fire on any aircraft coming into designated super-critical airspaces. These systems would also have to be adequately secured against terrorist ground assault, if only to maintain the deterrence.
Both of the short and long-term systems could also fire upon land-launched attacks upon nuclear power plants, such as armored cars filled with explosives that somehow penetrated the plant's defensive security perimeter. This defense would need to be manual in both systems and based upon directions from involved security forces.
An added benefit to these weapons is possible deployment against incoming enemy missiles and aircraft in large numbers, regardless of their targets. Development and deployment of these weapons systems as soon as possible would constitute a substantial double defensive benefit to the United States of America, and the costs therefor, compared to the benefits thereof, would appear to be quite low.
