Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:53:32-2:54:35

Could Operation PLUTO be repeated today?

A PLUTO-style pipeline remains technically possible, while an Atlantic crossing raises engineering obstacles without a convincing justification.

Atlantic OceanMilitary LogisticsOperation PlutoPipelines
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Could Operation PLUTO be repeated today, including a pipeline from North America to Britain?

Short answer

A Channel pipeline is technically possible, but a transatlantic fuel pipeline is impractical and lacks sufficient justification.

Notes

A modern repeat of Operation PLUTO is technically possible, though its practical use is doubtful. A fuel pipeline from North America to Britain raises a much larger engineering problem. The Atlantic crossing would include the fault line through the ocean and difficult seabed conditions, already troublesome for telecommunications cables. The transatlantic proposal is judged impractical on both technical and strategic grounds.