WS-125

The WS-125 was an American super-long-range strategic bomber project during the Cold War to develop a nuclear-powered aircraft.

In 1954, the United States Air Force (USAF) issued a weapons system requirement for a nuclear-powered bomber, designated WS-125.

In 1956, General Electric teamed up with Convair (X211 program) and Pratt & Whitney with Lockheed in competitive engine/airframe development to address the requirement.

[citation needed] Two General Electric J87 turbojet engines were successfully powered to nearly full thrust using two shielded reactors.

Two experimental engines complete with reactor systems (HTRE-3 and HTRE-1, which was modified and renamed HTRE-2) are located at the EBR-1 facility south of the Idaho National Laboratory.

HTRE-2 , a nuclear aircraft engine prototype at the Idaho National Laboratory
Experimental HTRE reactors for nuclear aircraft (HTRE-2 left and HTRE-3 right), on display at Idaho National Laboratory near Arco, Idaho