Janus: The Army's Plan to Put Microreactors on Bases

In August 2026 the U.S. Army announced awards worth up to $2.2 billion to five companies under the Janus program to build and operate nuclear microreactors at five Army installations. The selected firms are Antares Nuclear (Fort Bragg), BWXT Advanced Technologies (Fort Campbell), General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (Fort Hood), Radiant Industries (Fort Benning), and Westinghouse Government Services (Fort Drum). The contracts are milestone-based and will stretch across fiscal years 2027 to 2031. Vendors will receive government funds only after they achieve specific technical goals, and the prototype reactors will be contractor-owned and contractor-operated.

Officials have said the reactors will supply between one and twenty megawatts each, offering resilient baseload power while installations stay connected to the civilian grid. The Army and the Department of Energy have cooperated on tests and technical reviews, although a limited national supply of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) remains a constraint for some designs. The service has set a target to have the first installation-operating reactor by September 30, 2028, and leaders describe the program as a step toward wider commercial deployment of advanced reactor designs.