The miniature nuclear reactors are eventually intended for widespread adoption on remote US military bases, where they could reduce the need for vast shipments of imported fuel.

The Department of the Air Force has confirmed the two future sites to be the first to receive nuclear microreactors under the Pentagon’s Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations (APNI) program. The DAF and Defense Innovation Unit announced last week that Buckley Space Force Base (SFB), Colorado, and Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB), Montana, will serve as the initial test locations.

“This decision is a key step in ensuring the service can execute critical missions without interruption, thereby strengthening national security,” a DAF statement read.

The Air Force had previously indicated that Eielson AFB, near Fairbanks, Alaska, was its preferred location for the microreactor pilot program. However, the DAF confirmed that the ANPI program “is separate from” that microreactor pilot program, which “is a stand-alone effort focused on demonstrating the feasibility and operational benefits of a microreactor at a single installation.” In other words, Eielson AFB may yet receive its microreactor in addition to Buckley and Malmstrom.

What Are “Microreactors,” and Why Does the Air Force Want Them?

A microreactor is pretty much what it sounds like: a miniature nuclear reactor that can produce energy without the need to consume fossil fuels. Microreactors do not have the sophisticated safety equipment that conventional nuclear reactors do; instead, they are equipped with built-in safety features that self-adjust to changing conditions and demands, preventing overheating. 

Such power systems could be crucial to remote military bases, where there is no access to local infrastructure or where the bases’ energy demands exceed what a local community can provide. For years, many of the bases have required the import of massive amounts of coal for on-base power plants, but this is expensive, environmentally filthy, and potentially unreliable due to weather and other factors.

Microreactors could provide more than enough energy for a military base and operate for 15 years or longer without refueling.

In February, a Ward 250 5-megawatt nuclear reactor—small enough to fit inside a C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft—was delivered to Hill AFB, Utah, and then sent to the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab for testing and evaluation.

The power needs of US military bases continue to increase, and that will only continue as the facilities must increasingly employ more and more advanced equipment, from radar to computer networks to ensuring warfighters have access to hot water.

In the future, the bases must also provide reliable energy to power data centers, including those employing artificial intelligence (AI), and to support space and cyber infrastructure. As the US military seeks to develop directed energy weapons and lasers to counter incoming threats, including drones, power requirements will continue to increase. Nuclear power could be a way to meet the demand.

What the ANPI Program Does for the US Air Force

The ANPI program calls for the deployment of “advanced, contractor-owned and operated nuclear microreactors on DAF installations.” Commercial reactor companies would be charged with determining the site, obtaining the licenses, overseeing construction, and then operating the microreactors. At the end of their service lives, the contractors would then oversee the decommissioning.

“By advancing the use of next-generation nuclear energy, the DAF is strengthening the energy security of our power projection platforms and contributing to long-term national energy leadership,” said Nancy Balkus, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for infrastructure, energy, and environment, according to the Air Force statement. “This initiative represents a critical step in ensuring the department remains the world’s premier Air Force and Space Force.”

The DAF noted that its “subject matter experts,” as well as those from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, have already “performed extensive data and on-site analysis, evaluating environment, nuclear safety and energy integration” on the technology.

The two military installations were selected as preferred locations for an ANPI reactor based on their respective “utility infrastructure, land availability, and critical mission requirements.” Later this year, the bases will be paired with a microreactor that best meets their energy needs, and the current timeline calls for deployment of the power systems by 2030.

A Parallel US Army Microreactor Effort Is Also Underway

The DAF’s microreactor initiatives aren’t the only nuclear power programs being undertaken within the Department of Defense.

Last November, the US Army announced that it had selected nine bases to be equipped with its first microreactor power plants: Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Campbell, Kentucky–Tennessee; Fort Drum, New York; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Tennessee; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; and Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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