Earlier this month, the Department of the Army announced the launch of its Janus Program, described as a “next-generation nuclear power program” promising to deliver resilient, secure, and consistent energy to its more remote bases. The project, a joint venture with the Department of Energy (DOE), involves deploying microreactors on domestic military bases.
It is part of the Pentagon’s commitment to its “warrior ethos,” providing “uninterrupted energy” during training, deployment, and notably combat operations.
It was first unveiled in June 2024, and earlier this year, the Army Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) signaled that eight companies with reactor designs had been selected via the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations (ANPI) program. The same companies were selected for the DOE’s Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, and in August, it was announced that Oklo and Radiant Industries were participating in each of the programs. The DOE effort has sought to get three reactors on line by July 4, 2026.
Executive Order 14299, “Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security,” which was signed by President Donald Trump on May 23, 2025, directed the Department of Defense (DOD) to commence operation of an Army-regulated nuclear reactor at a domestic military installation by the end of fiscal year 2028 (FY28) on September 30, 2028.
The Army Goes Nuclear
At last week’s annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) conference in Washington, D.C., new details were provided during the Meeting Warriors Corner panel. It saw United States Army leaders joined by U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and highlighted the initiative.
“The U.S. Army is leading the way on fielding innovative and disruptive technology,” said Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll. “We are shredding red tape and incubating next-generation capabilities in a variety of critical sectors, including nuclear power.”
The joint effort between the military and the DOE is meant to deliver the “highest standards” of safety, oversight, and transparency.
“Since the Manhattan Project, the Department of Energy and the Department of War have forged one of the defining partnerships in American history—advancing the science, engineering, and industrial capability that power our national security,” said Secretary Wright.
It was 80 years ago this past July that saw the first testing of an atomic bomb at the Alamogordo Bombing Range in New Mexico, using a plutonium-based device nicknamed the “Gadget”. The successful detonation released an energy equivalent to about 21 kilotons of TNT.
“What began as a wartime effort became the backbone of America’s peacetime strength. Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re extending that legacy through initiatives like the Janus Program, accelerating next-generation reactor deployment and strengthening the nuclear foundations of American energy and defense.”
The Janus Program
Unlike the Manhattan Project, which sought to develop a weapon, the Janus Program aims to deliver commercial microreactors that can provide “advanced energy solutions” to the modern warfighter. According to the Department of the Army, the reactors will be commercially owned and operated.
Program milestone payments will be made to help companies close their business cases as they seek “Nth-of-a-kind” production. In that way, the Army and DIU are employing a contracting mechanism similar to NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.
The Army will provide technical oversight and assistance, including support for “the full uranium fuel cycle” and the “broader nuclear supply chain.” That will ensure the program can strengthen both defense and U.S. industrial capabilities.
Moreover, the service stated that the Janus Program will employ lessons learned from Project Pele, which seeks to develop the first transportable electricity-producing Generation IV nuclear reactor outside of China. That program is being led by the DoD’s Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) in close collaboration with the DoE, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and industry partners. The same DoE laboratory teams that provided technical, legal and policy aspects of Project Pele are now working closely on the Janus Program.
“The Janus Program is going to deliver real hardware, not PowerPoint slides,” explained Dr. Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the army for Installations, Energy and Environment. “I will personally oversee this effort on behalf of the War Department. By leveraging Army’s program management and oversight capabilities with the accomplishments of Project Pele, the U.S. Army is ready to move forward at lightning speed to make next-generation nuclear power a reality.”
Department of Air Force Efforts Also Underway
The United States Army isn’t alone in developing a microreactor to provide a reliable source of energy for its facilities. In June, the Department of the Air Force announced that it had selected Eielson Air Force Base (AFB), near Fairbanks, AK, as its preferred location for the microreactor pilot program. The DAF has been working in coordination with the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Office and reached a “critical milestone” in the program after issuing a “Notice of Intent to Award” to Oklo, Inc.
Eielson AFB was chosen for its remoteness.
Supplying it with electricity and heating can often be a formidable task, especially in the winter months. In the case of Eielson AFB, it regularly requires hauling in tons of coal to generate 33.5 megawatts (MW) of electricity. A microreactor could produce 1-50 MW without requiring a connection to the grid or relying on the transportation of coal or other fossil fuels.
As the name suggests, a microreactor is a small nuclear reactor that can produce “clean energy,” while also being equipped with built-in safety features that self-adjust to changing conditions and demands, preventing overheating.
