Army Selects Vendors, Sites for Nuclear Microreactors

The Army announced yesterday that the Janus Program selected five nuclear energy vendors and five initial locations to build and operate nuclear microreactors.

In partnership with the War Department's Defense Innovation Unit, the Army is awarding up to $2.2 billion in total for these microreactors. The project will deliver safe, secure and reliable nuclear power, strengthening the Army's ability to project power globally, while supporting the revitalization of American industrial capacity and technological leadership.

"Since launching the Janus Program, our mandate from President [Donald J.] Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth has been clear: secure the power our warfighters need to train, deploy and win," said Dan Driscoll, Army secretary. "Awarding these contracts accelerates our ability to deliver safe, reliable baseload power directly to our installations. We are building the energy resilience necessary to project combat power globally, without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids."

With private sector funding expected alongside government investment, the Army expects to build and operate more than 20 nuclear microreactors across War Department installations.

The five selected vendors and installations are:

• Antares Nuclear Inc. at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
• BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
• General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems at Fort Hood, Texas.
• Radiant Industries Inc. at Fort Benning, Georgia.
• Westinghouse Government Services at Fort Drum, New York.

"We are seeking not just reactors capable of turning on for a brief demonstration, but rather systems able to deliver power with high-capacity factors for years of operation," said Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment. "The Janus Program will be a complete success when and only when we have assisted multiple nuclear companies in developing truly reliable and affordable nuclear microreactors, which they can sell to other buyers beyond just the military."

After gathering technical and operational information from industry partners, the Army narrowed the potential industry awardees for agreements. A decision board and panel of top nuclear and technical experts from the Energy Department, national laboratories and representatives from across the services provided rigorous input on the technical risks, financial situation and management capabilities of the solutions.

The close collaboration ensured selected vendors would provide solutions to enhance energy resilience for specific operational needs at military installations. Aligning these vendors with Army installations represents the culmination of a yearlong effort to evaluate and prioritize installations based on a multitude of factors, from energy needs to seismic and hydrological considerations, with a primary focus on safety.

As the Janus Program moves forward, vendors will bring nuclear technologies to other military installations for continued energy resilience across the entire War Department. The Army will announce additional military sites at a later date and continues to drive toward the September 2028 target outlined in Executive Order 14299 for operation of a first reactor.

"The Army is leading the nation in its return to nuclear preeminence," said Jason Craft, Janus Program manager. "Our selected industry awardees represent the most viable technologies to achieve this capability, setting conditions for both installation energy resilience and operational energy solutions."

Using a milestone-based payment model, vendors will receive government funding only after successfully hitting specific technical goals. This investment model brings together approximately $2.2 billion across fiscal years 2027-2031, along with significant capital investment from each vendor.

This technology development model will speed up the delivery of next-generation energy solutions to the warfighter and promote innovation while ensuring accountability, Craft said. The prototype reactors will be contractor-owned and operated. Collaboration with utility providers is needed for the success of the Army's nuclear power strategy and the Janus Program. The Army will work closely with providers on the program to ensure the best possible outcomes, while continuing to collaborate with them now and in the future.

"The Army's Janus Program has my full support," said Emil Michael, undersecretary of war for research and engineering and War Department chief technology officer. "The War Department is acting swiftly to implement President Trump's executive order. ... We are unleashing America's domestic nuclear industrial base to ensure a more resilient and secure energy supply for the joint force."