Washington, D.C. – October 15, 2025 – In a bold step toward energy independence and operational resilience, US Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll unveiled the Janus Program on Tuesday at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting. This ambitious initiative promises to deliver safe, mobile nuclear power solutions to Army installations and forward-operating bases worldwide, marking a pivotal advancement in military energy technology.
The announcement, made during a packed panel session at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, underscores the Trump administration's commitment to leveraging nuclear innovation for national security. Driscoll, a 38-year-old Iraq War veteran and the 26th Secretary of the Army, stood alongside Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Jeff Waksman. Their joint presentation highlighted the program's potential to "shred red tape" and position the US military as a leader in disruptive technologies.
"The US Army is leading the way on fielding innovative and disruptive technology," Driscoll declared, his voice echoing through the convention hall filled with over 30,000 attendees, including military leaders, defense industry executives, and policymakers from more than 80 countries. "We are shredding red tape and incubating next-generation capabilities in a variety of critical sectors, including nuclear power."
Named after the Roman god of transitions—symbolizing the shift from fossil fuel dependency to advanced nuclear solutions—the Janus Program builds directly on President Donald J. Trump's May 23, 2025, executive order, "Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security." That order mandated the Department of Defense (DoD), through the Army, to operationalize an Army-regulated nuclear reactor at a domestic military base by September 30, 2028. The Janus Program operationalizes this directive, focusing on deploying microreactors that are compact, transportable, and capable of generating one to five megawatts of power—enough to sustain critical operations without reliance on vulnerable supply chains.
Energy Secretary Wright, a former CEO of Liberty Energy and self-proclaimed "energy nerd," emphasized the broader strategic imperative. "The US should have an energy advantage over every country in the world because energy is not one sector of the economy. It’s the sector of the economy that enables everything," Wright stated, drawing applause from the audience. His remarks align with the administration's push to quadruple US nuclear generating capacity by 2050, integrating nuclear power with emerging demands like artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and high-energy weaponry.
Waksman, a PhD nuclear engineer who previously led Project Pele—the DoD's prototype transportable reactor—will oversee the program's execution. "The Janus Program is going to deliver real hardware, not PowerPoint slides," he assured, referencing the concrete progress expected from partnerships with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Under Waksman's guidance, the Army will leverage its regulatory authorities to ensure safety and transparency, collaborating closely with DOE labs that pioneered Generation IV reactor designs.
The Genesis: From Executive Mandate to Battlefield Reality
The roots of the Janus Program trace back to escalating global tensions and domestic energy vulnerabilities. In recent years, conflicts in Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific have exposed the fragility of diesel-dependent logistics. Forward bases, often in remote or contested environments, consume vast quantities of fuel—up to 1.5 million gallons per day in large-scale operations—making resupply a prime target for adversaries. The executive order addressed this head-on, designating the Army as the executive agent for nuclear energy across DoD and directing rapid deployment to counter threats from nations like China and Russia, which are aggressively exporting their own reactor technologies.
Project Pele, initiated in 2022, served as the foundational blueprint. This 40-ton, truck-transportable reactor represents the world's first electricity-producing Generation IV unit under construction outside China. Lessons from Pele—such as streamlined fuel cycles and enhanced safety protocols—inform Janus, ensuring reactors can be airlifted via C-17 Globemaster aircraft or shipped on flatbed trucks for swift deployment. Unlike traditional plants, these microreactors use advanced fuels like high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), minimizing waste and refueling needs to once every few years.
The program's timeline is aggressive: A draft request for proposals (RFP) is slated for release in the coming weeks, with prototypes targeted for testing at Idaho National Laboratory by mid-2026. By 2027, up to nine domestic bases could host operational units, expanding to 10-12 reactors nationwide by 2028. Initial funding—hundreds of millions over five years—will flow through DoD budgets, prioritizing commercial partnerships to foster a robust domestic supply chain.
Key Features: Mobility, Safety, and Scalability
At its core, Janus prioritizes three pillars: mobility, safety, and scalability. The reactors are designed as "plug-and-play" systems: factory-built modules that arrive pre-assembled, deploy in weeks, and operate autonomously from the civilian grid. This independence shields installations from cyberattacks, natural disasters, or blockades—critical in scenarios like a Taiwan Strait conflict, where fuel convoys across oceans could be interdicted.
Safety remains paramount. Drawing on the Army's nuclear stewardship legacy from the Manhattan Project, reactors will incorporate passive cooling systems that prevent meltdowns without human intervention or external power. Regulatory oversight will blend Army protocols with DOE standards, including real-time monitoring and community engagement. "We're not here to impose on any local communities," Waksman noted, pledging that surplus power could even benefit nearby civilian grids, pending local approval.
Scalability extends the program's reach. Initial deployments target fixed installations like Fort Liberty or Joint Base Lewis-McChord, powering command centers, AI-driven analytics hubs, and directed-energy weapons. Future iterations envision air-mobile variants for expeditionary forces—compact enough for forward arming and refueling points in the Arctic or Pacific islands. By integrating with DIU's commercial ecosystem, Janus aims to engage vendors like BWXT, Oklo, and Kairos Power, each tasked with building at least two prototypes: one for validation, the second refined for deployment.
This commercial focus echoes Driscoll's vision of the Army as a "host for American entrepreneurship." During his February 2025 Senate confirmation—passed 66-28 despite partisan divides—Driscoll vowed to reinvigorate the defense industrial base, criticizing outdated acquisition models that favor "enormous entities." Janus embodies this, channeling federal support through loans, grants, and Defense Production Act authorities to accelerate uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication.
Strategic Imperatives: Powering the Future Battlefield
The Janus Program arrives amid a perfect storm of energy demands. AI integration into military systems— from predictive logistics to autonomous swarms—could surge DoD electricity needs by 300% by 2030. Hypersonic missiles and laser defenses require gigawatts of stable power, far beyond diesel generators' intermittent output. "This is about warfighting power," Driscoll asserted. "Project Janus ensures our warfighters can train, deploy, and fight with the certainty that power will never be the limiting factor in victory."
Geopolitically, it counters adversaries' advances. China's export of Hualong One reactors to Pakistan and Argentina has eroded US market share, while Russia's floating nuclear plants bolster Arctic claims. Janus not only secures domestic resilience but also paves the way for exports to allies, fulfilling the executive order's call for new peaceful nuclear cooperation agreements via the State Department. Wright, who recently advocated for Trump as a "hero of the climate" for promoting gas and nuclear decarbonization, sees this as a dual win: emissions reduction without sacrificing reliability.
Domestically, the program aligns with broader Trump energy policies. The May executive orders—four in total—also reformed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to slash licensing timelines from years to months and boosted DOE testing for advanced fuels. This follows Wright's September 2025 moves to redirect $13 billion from "wasteful" green projects toward fossil and nuclear priorities, a decision that sparked debate over grid affordability but garnered support from industry leaders.
Challenges and Community Engagement
No initiative of this scale is without hurdles. Environmental groups have raised concerns over waste management, though proponents note microreactors produce far less spent fuel than legacy plants. Waksman addressed this, committing to categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for expedited reviews on federal sites. Recruitment for nuclear-skilled personnel—amid Army-wide shortfalls—poses another issue, but Driscoll's "soldiers' secretary" ethos promises targeted incentives.
Local buy-in is crucial. Pilots will involve town halls near candidate bases, with opt-out clauses for objecting communities. Early sites, like those in Idaho or New Mexico, leverage existing DOE infrastructure for seamless integration.
Broader Implications: A Catalyst for Innovation
Beyond the military, Janus could revitalize America's nuclear sector. With over 90 US reactors powering 20% of the grid, scaling microreactors might add 200 gigawatts by 2050, supporting civilian AI boom—data centers alone could demand 35 gigawatts more by 2030. Economically, it promises thousands of jobs in uranium mining, fabrication, and operations, bolstering Rust Belt communities.
At AUSA, the reveal electrified the expo floor, where 700+ exhibitors showcased complementary tech: Oshkosh's autonomous vehicles for reactor transport, Honeywell's anti-drone shields for site security. International delegations from NATO allies eyed partnerships, viewing Janus as a hedge against energy coercion.
As Driscoll concluded, "New battlefields are teaching us important lessons. These conflicts have demonstrated that the innovation, production and fielding of some of our new weapons and capabilities must be done in weeks and months rather than years or decades." With Janus, the Army isn't just adapting—it's redefining the rules of engagement.
The program launches at a moment of inflection for US defense. As global rivals accelerate their nuclear agendas, Janus positions America not as a follower, but a pacesetter. Implementation will demand vigilance—on safety, equity, and fiscal prudence—but its promise is undeniable: a powered future where energy scarcity yields to strategic supremacy.
