A new initiative by the US Army is set to transform military operations by deploying small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Announced on October 14 by Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Project Janus aims to have the first SMR operational by the end of 2028.
While the ongoing federal government shutdown is causing delays, Army officials expect to release a draft request for proposals in the coming weeks. The initial focus will be on establishing a small reactor at a military base in the United States, with a broader vision of creating mobile microreactors capable of delivering power to remote locations.
“The biggest military use case is contested logistics,” stated Staff Sheehan, CEO of a nuclear chemistry start-up currently in stealth mode. He emphasized the need for solutions that can power small, tactical, forward-operating bases, as well as larger installations that traditionally depend on diesel generators and hydrocarbon fuels.
Currently, the military transports large quantities of diesel and kerosene across conflict zones to fuel generators and other equipment. Deploying SMRs in the field could significantly enhance energy supply for stationary operations and enable the production of synthetic fuels from captured carbon dioxide, according to Sheehan.
Companies like Prometheus Fuels and Aircela are already experimenting with compact units that generate fuels using electricity, ambient air, and water. While synthetic fuels are part of the long-term goals for Project Janus, they will not be included in the initial deployment phase, as noted by Jeff Waksman, a physicist leading the Army”s Installations, Energy, and Environment office. “I love it as a future application,” Waksman commented during the press conference. “The challenge that synthetic fuels has at the moment is that it”s not efficient enough.”
The Janus Program aims to leverage the Army”s purchasing power to accelerate the development of new nuclear technologies, moving from initial reactor trials to the benefits of established engineering practices and supply chains. Sheehan remarked on the military”s historical role in advancing research and development funding to reshape commercial products, including fuels.
The target for the 2028 installation was established by an executive order from former President Donald J. Trump, which mandates that the first reactor be operational by September of that year. This order also empowers the energy and defense secretaries to utilize “all available legal authorities” to streamline the regulatory process for advanced nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel recycling facilities.
Importantly, the directive encompasses a variety of activities deemed critical for defense, including those related to artificial intelligence hardware. This status may exempt many military reactors from the oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which is often criticized for increasing nuclear power costs through stringent regulations.
“The reactors in the Janus Program will need NRC approval if they are eventually linked to the commercial energy grid and primarily used for energy production,” explained Christopher Hanson, a former NRC chairman now collaborating with Sheehan”s start-up. The Army echoes this sentiment, stating that the nuclear safety of the project will be supervised by the Army”s own regulatory authorities in conjunction with the Department of Energy, without NRC involvement.
“We are shredding red tape and incubating next-generation capabilities in a variety of critical sectors, including nuclear power,” Army Secretary Driscoll stated in a press release.
