US Army selects five microreactor techs for deployment

The technology and locations are: Antares Nuclear, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; BWXT Advanced Technologies, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, at Fort Hood, Texas; Radiant Industries, at Fort Benning, Georgia; and Westinghouse Government Services, at Fort Drum, New York.

The decision was taken with input on the technical risks, financial situation, and management capabilities of the solutions from a panel of nuclear "and technical experts from the Department of Energy, national laboratories and representatives across the services".

The Janus Program - launched last October - is a next-generation nuclear power programme aimed at delivering "resilient, secure, and assured energy to support national defence installations and critical missions". Executive Order 14299 - Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security - was signed by President Donald Trump in May 2025 and aims for operation of an Army-regulated nuclear reactor at a domestic military installation no later than 30 September 2028.

Dan Driscoll, Secretary of the Army, said: "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."

Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, said: "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. 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."

The Department of the Army says vendors will receive government funding contingent on successfully hitting specific technical goals, potentially up to USD2.2 billion across 2027-2031.

Owen West, director of the US Department of War Innovation Unit (DIU), said: "We need more power. We need it delivered faster and cheaper, and we need it to be more reliable. With Janus, DIU is assisting the Army's microreactor build - speeding military energy production to protect the nation."

The selected vendors

Antares' Mark-0 demonstration reactor was the first reactor to reach criticality under the Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program, in June. It is a sodium heat-pipe cooled microreactor technology, which uses tri-isostructural isotropic - or TRISO - fuel containing high assay low-enriched uranium (known as HALEU).

Jordan Bramble, CEO and founder of Antares, said: "We're grateful and proud to partner with the US Army and the Defense Innovation Unit on the Janus Program. Energy scarcity is constraining America's most critical defence systems. Through Janus, Antares will deliver clean, firm, resilient power for the warfighter."

BWX Technologies says it is targeting groundbreaking for site construction in late 2028 with reactor operations commencing in the early 2030s. The BWXT Advanced Nuclear Reactor (BANR) is a high-temperature, gas-cooled nuclear reactor that utilises TRISO fuel. It is designed for critical infrastructure, and the Janus Program involves a 20 MWe version.

Rex D Geveden, BWXT president and CEO, said: "As we commence work on the Janus Program, we are delivering the nation's most credible and reliable path to deployable nuclear power. BANR is purpose-built for mission success, and we are driving forward with the discipline, experience and proven capability that national security demands."

General Atomics is developer of the General Atomics Tactical Energy System, a liquid-metal-cooled microreactor with a baseline net output of approximately 5 MWe, potentially scalable to approximately 20 MWe. It is designed for remote, off-grid and extreme environments, with a design life of 40 years.

Scott Forney, President of General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, said: "General Atomics draws on more than 70 years of nuclear innovation and reactor expertise to deliver microreactor technologies that provide safe, dependable and independent power for military installations. Our experience designing and deploying 68 reactors worldwide and supporting reactor technologies throughout their lifecycles positions us to deliver assured energy solutions that enhance operational resilience and strengthen mission readiness."

Radiant, which is developing the Kaleidos 1 MW transportable microreactor, said its agreement with the US Army and Defense Innovation Unit was worth up to USD750 million to develop and deploy up to 15 of its microreactors.

Tori Shivanandan, President and Chief Operating Officer of Radiant, said: "The numbers tell the story. This award shows confidence in Radiant's product and ability to manufacture, deploy, and safely operate nuclear microreactors for the American military."

Westinghouse Government Services has developed the eVinci microreactor, a heat-pipe reactor designed to provide resilient electricity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for eight years without refuelling.

Rich Rademacher, President of Westinghouse Government Services, said: "The selection of the eVinci microreactor for the Janus Project highlights the important role advanced nuclear technology can play in providing resilient, long-duration power to the warfighter. Westinghouse is proud to support the Army’s efforts to strengthen energy security and deliver innovative capabilities."