Expand / Collapse search
☰

Army selects Central Texas military base for nuclear microreactor deployment

By
FOX Local
Military
Published August 28, 2026 7:24 PM CDT
Published August 28, 2026 7:24 PM CDT
article

A containerized nuclear power reactor sits secured within a reinforced steel transport frame at March Air Reserve Base, California, Feb. 13, 2026. The system is part of an interagency demonstration evaluating the feasibility of rapidly deploying nucl

Expand

The Brief

    • The Army is expanding its nuclear microreactor rollout to initial sites with plans to eventually build over 20 reactors.
    • The goal is off-grid energy security, providing installations with reliable, safe baseload power to maintain critical operations during external grid failures or attacks.
    • The first reactor is slated for late 2028, though exact funding splits per location and long-term nuclear waste disposal plans remain finalized.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced that Fort Hood has been selected as one of five Army installations where companies will develop and operate nuclear microreactors intended to provide reliable power for the military base. 

Army selects Texas base

What we know:

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems was selected as a vendor for the Fort Hood project under the Army’s Janus Program. The program aims to strengthen energy resilience at military installations and the prototype reactors would be owned and operated by the contractors, according to the Army.

The Army is awarding up to $2.2 billion through the fiscal years of 2027 through 2031 to five nuclear energy companies chosen for the program. 

Private-sector investment is also expected, and the Army said it ultimately plans to build and operate more than 20 microreactors at Defense Department installations. The other initial sites are:  

  • Fort Bragg, North Carolina
  • Fort Campbell, Kentucky
  • Fort Benning, Georgia
  • Fort Drum, New York

Off-grid power to protect military operations

Image 1 of 3
▼

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 452nd Logistics Readiness Squadron Aerial Port Flight at March Air Reserve Base, California, support loading operations of a next-generation nuclear reactor onto a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft Feb. 15, 2026. The mission was conducted in coordination with Airmen from the 15th Airlift Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and the 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The aircraft transported the reactor to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in support of a Department of War and Department of Energy partnership focused on nuclear energy testing and evaluation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Kekoa Santiago) (Air Force Tech, Sgt. Kekoa Santiago)

What they're saying:

Army officials said the reactors are intended to provide secure, reliable baseload power without relying solely on outside electrical grids, which could be vulnerable during emergencies or attacks. The Army evaluated possible sites based on factors including energy needs, seismic and water-related considerations, with safety as its primary focus.

"Awarding these contracts accelerates our ability to deliver safe, reliable baseload power directly to our installations. We are building the energy resilience necessary to project combat power globally, without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids," said Dan Driscoll, Army secretary.

What's next:

The first reactor is targeted to begin operating by September 2028 under an executive order cited by the Army. Additional military sites are expected to be announced later.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by the U.S. Department of Defense.

MilitaryTexas