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// DOSSIER — us-army-awards-billion-nuclear-microreactors-bases
US Army Awards $2.2 Billion to Build Nuclear Microreactors at Five Bases
REL_TIME: 27 Aug 2026 11:12Z · LANG: EN
The U.S. Army, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit, has awarded up to $2.2 billion to five companies to construct and operate nuclear microreactors at five domestic military bases under the Janus Program. Designed to generate between 1 MW and 20 MW of power, these microreactors aim to establish energy independence and resilience from vulnerable commercial grids and diesel backups, with the first unit slated to go live by September 30, 2028.
// Background
The Janus Program represents the U.S. military's return to nuclear power after decades of absence, following early experiments like the 1957 reactor at Fort Belvoir. It aligns with Trump administration Executive Order 14299 signed in May 2025, which mandated the deployment of an advanced reactor at a domestic military installation by late 2028. The initiative also runs parallel to the Air Force's microreactor project at Eielson Air Force Base and the DoD's mobile reactor initiative, Project Pele.
// Key Developments
- The Army is awarding up to $2.2 billion over a five-year period from FY 2027 through 2031 to five selected companies.
- The five bases paired with contractors are Fort Bragg (Antares), Fort Campbell (BWXT), Fort Hood (General Atomics), Fort Benning (Radiant), and Fort Drum (Westinghouse).
- The Janus Program aims to deploy up to 20 microreactors generating 1 to 20 megawatts of power each.
- The first operational microreactor is targeted to go live by September 30, 2028, following a May 2025 executive order.
- The reactors will be licensed by the Army rather than the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, drawing criticism from non-proliferation experts.
- The project faces supply chain hurdles due to a domestic shortage of high-assay low-enriched uranium.
// Timeline
-
The Army Corps of Engineers completes a reactor at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the first to provide extended power to a commercial grid.
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President Donald Trump signs Executive Order 14299, directing federal agencies to prioritize resilient, off-grid power and setting a 2028 deadline for an operational military reactor.
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The Army shortlists nine military bases as finalists for the microreactor program.
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The Army officially announces the selection of five companies and five bases for the $2.2 billion Janus Program.
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The five-year funding period during which the selected companies will construct and operate the microreactors.
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The target deadline for the first operational nuclear microreactor to go live at a domestic military installation.
// Perspectives
[U.S. Army / Department of Defense]
Strongly supportive; views nuclear microreactors as a critical game changer for energy resilience and national security during conflicts.
[Nuclear Industry Contractors]
Highly optimistic; see the program as a major accelerator for commercializing advanced reactor technology and proving its safety and deployability.
[Alan J. Kuperman (Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project)]
Highly critical; characterizes the program as a dangerous scam and an expensive, risky military subsidy for unproven commercial designs.
// Quotes
“We now know that our domestic electric grid is potentially at risk in a conflict. We also know that we will not necessarily be able to move fossil fuels easily wherever we need them to go.”
“We are building the energy resilience necessary to project combat power globally, without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids.”
“The Army program is using the military's 'deep pockets to provide a hidden subsidy' to nuclear companies that can't find private-sector customers for their hypothetical and uneconomical reactors.”
