UNITED STATES OF AMERICA —The United States Department of the Army, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit, has officially selected five nuclear energy vendors to own, construct and operate nuclear microreactors across military installations under the Janus Program. The awarding authority is deploying up to $2.2 billion in combined milestone-based government funding alongside expected private sector capital to deliver safe, reliable baseload power. Participating vendors include Antares Nuclear, Inc., BWXT Advanced Technologies, LLC, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, Radiant Industries, Inc., and Westinghouse Government Services. Construction and operations are scheduled across five initial military installations: Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, and Fort Drum in New York. Funding is slated across fiscal years 2027 through 2031, targeting the deployment of an operational reactor on a military installation by September 2028.
The Department of the Army serves as the primary land warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces, responsible for organizing, training, and equipping land forces. The Defense Innovation Unit is a Department of Defense organization tasked with accelerating the commercial technology adoption across the military services to strengthen national security.
This initiative addresses critical operational vulnerabilities by delivering resilient, high-capacity baseload energy directly to key defense infrastructure. By generating dedicated nuclear power on-site, military facilities can maintain continuous operational readiness without reliance on vulnerable public power grids. The project builds directly upon foundational progress made under Project Pele and the Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program, transitioning advanced reactor concepts into sustained, long-term power sources.
The procurement framework signals a broader shift toward commercial-grade advanced nuclear deployment. Regulated directly by the Army under a performance-based milestone funding structure, the initiative establishes a framework for commercial nuclear vendors to scale microreactor production. Successful implementation is expected to facilitate commercial viability beyond defense applications, offering scalable power solutions for utility partners and remote industrial operations.
By mobilizing private capital alongside federal funding, the program accelerates domestic industrial capacity and technological leadership in advanced nuclear engineering. The multi-year contract structure establishes a foundation for commercializing micro-nuclear technology while securing critical military infrastructure against potential energy supply disruptions.
