nuclear reactor

The Department of the Air Force announced on April 8 that it has chosen Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado and Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana as preferred locations to host nuclear microreactors under the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program — a milestone that could bring on-site atomic power to two of the nation's most strategically sensitive military installations by 2030. The selection was made in conjunction with the Defense Innovation Unit, and the ANPI program aims to deploy advanced, contractor-owned and operated nuclear microreactors on Air Force installations in partnership with commercial reactor companies. Those companies are expected to site, license, construct, operate, and decommission the reactors. Subject matter experts from the Department of the Air Force and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conducted extensive data and on-site analysis, evaluating environment, nuclear safety, and energy integration before identifying both bases as preferred candidates. The two bases were chosen due to their utility infrastructure, land availability, and critical mission requirements. Final confirmation, however, is not yet guaranteed. Air Force spokesperson Laurel Falls stated that the ultimate decision on whether either base receives a reactor will hinge on the successful completion of environmental review and nuclear licensing processes. Buckley's missions include providing strategic and theater missile warning to the United States and its international partners, as well as space surveillance and space communications operations. The base serves as headquarters of Space Delta 4. Malmstrom carries an equally weighty nuclear mission — it is home to the 341st Missile Wing, which maintains continuous alert of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles housed in underground launch facilities spread across Montana. Placing resilient, independent power sources at both installations reflects a calculation that the missions conducted there are simply too critical to depend on the commercial grid. Nancy Balkus, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for infrastructure, energy and environment, said the initiative ensures that "the department remains the world's premier Air Force and Space Force," adding that by advancing next-generation nuclear energy, the Air Force is strengthening the energy security of its power projection platforms and contributing to long-term national energy leadership. An official Air Force statement characterized the site selection as "a key step in ensuring the service can execute critical missions without interruption, thereby strengthening national security." Microreactors represent a distinct category of nuclear technology that differs fundamentally from the large commercial reactors powering civilian cities. According to the Department of Energy, microreactors are compact enough to be transported by truck, railway, or aircraft. They can produce up to 50 megawatts of energy, but typically generate less than 20 megawatts, and are designed to operate for up to 10 years — possibly longer — without requiring connection to commercial power supplies. That portability and endurance make them particularly attractive to military planners who worry about grid vulnerabilities, whether from natural disaster, cyberattack, or physical sabotage of civilian infrastructure. In the coming months, each base will be paired with an ANPI nuclear vendor technology matched to that installation's specific energy needs, with an anticipated deployment date of 2030 or earlier. The commercial operators will bear ownership and operational responsibility throughout the reactor's lifespan — a model that shifts financial and regulatory burden away from the Air Force while still delivering reliable, off-grid power to mission-critical facilities. The ANPI program sits within a broader push across the entire Department of War to reduce military installations' dependence on the civilian electrical grid. President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the defense secretary to have an Army-regulated nuclear reactor operating on a domestic base by September 30, 2028. In his order, Trump noted that artificial intelligence infrastructure and other advanced resources at military bases require reliable, high-density power that cannot be disrupted by external threats or grid failures, warning that energy vulnerability at such facilities "represents a strategic risk that must be addressed." The Army has moved separately on this front as well, announcing in October that it plans to install small nuclear reactors at nine of its bases under a program called Project Janus. Taken together, the Army and Air Force initiatives signal a sweeping shift in how the Pentagon thinks about energy as a warfighting variable rather than a logistical afterthought. The ANPI program is separate from the microreactor pilot program underway at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, which is a stand-alone effort focused on demonstrating the technology's benefits at a single installation. That distinction is significant — while Eielson represents a proof-of-concept exercise, the ANPI program at Buckley and Malmstrom is oriented toward operationalizing the technology at installations with live national security missions already underway. The Air Force has already begun stress-testing the logistics of moving microreactor hardware. On February 15, 2026, a C-17 airlifter transported a containerized nuclear power reactor — without its fuel load — from March Air Reserve Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah. The reactor was subsequently sent to the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab for testing and evaluation, demonstrating that the Air Force is actively validating its ability to airlift such systems to forward or remote locations. If the environmental and licensing processes proceed without significant obstacles, Buckley Space Force Base and Malmstrom Air Force Base could become the first Air Force and Space Force installations in the continental United States to draw power from on-site nuclear reactors — a development that would fundamentally alter the energy resilience calculus for America's nuclear deterrence and space warfighting infrastructure.

nuclear reactor

TRENDING NOW

U.S. Marines deploy Iron Dome-based missile system to Guam

Northrop Grumman reveals Sentinel ICBM in new test photo

South Korea’s bunker-busting cruise missile passes first flight test

Ukraine loses two MiG-29 fighters in less than 24 hours

Ukraine’s top defense adviser lists nine critical gaps in the country’s military tech

About The Defence Blog

nuclear reactor

Pentagon approves nuclear microreactors for missile and space warning bases

U.S. military advances compact nuclear reactor program

TRENDING NOW

U.S. Marines deploy Iron Dome-based missile system to Guam

Northrop Grumman reveals Sentinel ICBM in new test photo

South Korea’s bunker-busting cruise missile passes first flight test

Ukraine loses two MiG-29 fighters in less than 24 hours

Ukraine’s top defense adviser lists nine critical gaps in the country’s military tech

About The Defence Blog