United States
Australia
United Kingdom
Europe
New Zealand
Canada
The Department of the Air Force, working with the Defense Innovation Unit, has tapped three companies to potentially develop and operate a nuclear microreactor on Air Force installations under its Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations initiative.
The service said it previously named Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado and Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana as the first two sites on April 8, and has now added Joint Base San Antonio in Texas as a third potential location.
Each company has been paired with a base, an approach the department said aligns mission needs with site characteristics to bolster energy resilience:
– Buckley SFB, Colorado — Radiant Industries, Inc.
– Malmstrom AFB, Montana — Westinghouse Government Services
– Joint Base San Antonio, Texas — Antares Nuclear, Inc.
“The future of air and space dominance is powered by resilient energy,” said Michael Borders, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment. “By integrating advanced nuclear technology, we are not just keeping the lights on; we are guaranteeing that our most critical national security missions will never be held at risk by a power outage. This is a pivotal moment for the Department of the Air Force.”
The Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations effort aims to have at least one advanced nuclear reactor operating on a Department of the Air Force installation by 2030 or sooner. The next phase includes siting and environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Officials emphasized the program is separate from the microreactor pilot at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, which is intended to demonstrate feasibility and operational benefits at a single location.
Defense planners have increasingly looked to microreactors—small, factory-built advanced nuclear systems—as a way to provide dependable, on-site power for critical missions and to reduce vulnerabilities from grid disruptions. The partnership with DIU reflects the Pentagon’s push to adopt and scale commercial technologies through prototyping and rapid acquisition pathways.
