Nuclear reactors face a different risk at sea

Civilian reactor assumptions do not transfer directly to warships. A properly maintained naval reactor is not expected to explode like a nuclear weapon, yet combat deliberately disrupts the conditions that allow machinery to operate safely. Commercial plants can surround their reactors with far more concrete and fixed protective mass than a ship can carry. A warship also sails toward hostile weapons rather than relying on distant air defenses to keep attackers away. Nuclear propulsion can still be the right choice, but combat survivability and accident consequences must remain part of the design decision.