Army Awards $2.2 Billion for Nuclear Microreactors via Janus Program

The United States Army launched the Janus Program, a $2.2 billion initiative to deploy nuclear microreactors across five military installations to ensure operational resilience during commercial power grid failures. Following a May 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump to accelerate nuclear power development, the Army partnered with the Defense Innovation Unit to award contracts to five vendors: Antares Nuclear, Inc., BWXT Advanced Technologies, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, Radiant Industries, and Westinghouse Government Services.

Each vendor is assigned to a specific site: Antares Nuclear at Fort Bragg, BWXT Advanced Technologies at Fort Campbell, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems at Fort Hood, Radiant Industries at Fort Benning, and Westinghouse Government Services at Fort Drum. These reactors will generate between 1 and 20 megawatts of electricity and are designed to be inherently safe, utilizing physics to shut down without external power. The Army aims to have at least one reactor operational by September 30, 2028, with a long-term goal of deploying over 20 units across Department of Defense installations.

Funding will be distributed from fiscal years 2027 through 2031 using a milestone-based payment model. While the Army will license the reactors internally to speed up deployment, it is coordinating with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to align regulations, allowing vendors to eventually market the technology commercially. The program intends to transition from experimental designs to reliable hardware, with the Army paying between $0.20 and $0.30 per kilowatt hour through power purchase agreements.