US Air Force transport aircraft have delivered a portable nuclear reactor for the first time to support American military forces.
The information was shared on the official X page of the US Department of War. According to the department, the 5-megawatt reactor was transported via a military cargo plane C-17 Globemaster III.
This pioneering delivery demonstrated the US Air Force’s capability to rapidly deploy such systems in the air to remote or potentially dangerous areas without relying on civilian energy infrastructure.
The delivery was conducted in accordance with a presidential executive order dated May 23, 2025, which required deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security purposes.
On May 23, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to deploy advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security purposes.
Yesterday, we took the next step toward achieving this historic mission. pic.twitter.com/hIEd1nlnmf
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) February 16, 2026
The reactor will be part of the Janus program, launched by the US Army together with the Department of Energy. The initiative involves installing small nuclear reactors at US military bases to enhance energy independence and resilience.
Unlike US Navy reactors, which are federally owned, the small reactors developed under the Janus program will be privately owned. The US Army will oversee and supervise their operation.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy will support the project in three key areas: production of HALEU fuel (low-enriched uranium with high uranium content), testing of reactor prototypes, and regulatory policy reform to accelerate deployment of these technologies.
Photo: US Department of War. This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
