U.S. Army awards $2.2B for nuclear microreactors at five bases
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The U.S. Army has awarded up to $2.2 billion over five years for commercial nuclear microreactors at five domestic military bases. Five vendors will design and deploy the reactors, with the Army handling licensing instead of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The arrangement has drawn criticism from nuclear policy experts.
Key Facts
- The U.S. Army awarded up to $2.2 billion over five years for nuclear microreactors at five domestic military bases.
- Radiant Industries secured a contract worth up to $750 million to deploy 15 of its 1-MWe Kaleidos microreactors.
- Antares Nuclear will deploy a three-unit group of its R1 microreactor, ranging from 100-kWe to 1-MWe per unit.
- The U.S. Army, not the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, will be responsible for licensing the reactors.
- Alan J. Kuperman of the University of Texas called the licensing arrangement "a dangerous scam on many levels."
Program Scope
The Janus Program, unveiled in October 2025, aims to supply portable nuclear microreactors to military bases by 2028. The Army estimates that 20 microreactors will be deployed under the program. Microreactors typically generate 1-20 megawatts of electricity per reactor, more than the largest portable generators. Major military bases consume as much power as a small city, making localized reactors strategically attractive.
Vendor Assignments
Antares Nuclear is slated to build a microreactor at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. BWXT Technologies will build at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, and General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems at Fort Hood in Texas. Radiant Industries is slated for Fort Benning in Georgia, while Westinghouse Government Services will build at Fort Drum in New York. Radiant's Kaleidos microreactor is designed to be fully transportable and plug-in ready, capable of powering up within 48 hours of arriving at a base.
Licensing Dispute
The U.S. Army will be responsible for licensing the reactors rather than the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which normally licenses commercial nuclear reactors. Alan J. Kuperman, associate professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, told AP the arrangement is "a dangerous scam on many levels." Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment, said the reactors are not intended to be Army-specific. Waksman said the reactors will be designed to transition easily to the commercial market, at which stage the NRC will be involved.
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U.S. Army awards $2.2B for nuclear microreactors at five bases
