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FORT BENNING, Ga. - The U.S. Army selected the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning as one of five military host installations for the Janus Program, a nationwide energy resilience and mission readiness initiative, Army officials announced Aug. 26, 2026.
As part of the program, Fort Benning has been paired with commercial vendor Radiant Industries Inc. to host three of its next-generation, self-contained microreactors designed to provide independent, long-duration operational power directly to critical installation infrastructure.
“Energy resiliency is not a luxury; it is a foundation of power projection and combat readiness,” said Maj. Gen. Colin P. Tuley, Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning commanding general. “We build lethal warfighters here and project combat-ready units across the globe on a moment’s notice. Integrating microreactors into our critical infrastructure ensures that our flight lines, command nodes, and combat training pipelines remain fully mission-capable, regardless of external disruptions to the regional utility grid.”
Strengthening the Power Projection Platform: Lawson Army Airfield
Central to Fort Benning’s mission assurance framework is Lawson Army Airfield (LAAF), the installation’s primary aerial port of embarkation. As a strategic power projection platform, LAAF serves as the launchpad through which rapid-response ground forces — including airborne Infantry, Ranger units, and maneuver elements — deploy globally in support of combatant commanders.
Maintaining continuous, uninterrupted power at LAAF is paramount to sustaining around-the-clock embarkation cycles. During a widespread blackout or regional energy crisis, dedicated microreactor power can sustain many of LAAF's vital systems, including runway lighting, tactical air traffic control towers, and secure facilities. An ability to isolate the airfield's energy backbone from vulnerable civilian utility grids would support a decisive ability to mobilize, marshal, and fly combat forces into theater without delay.
Amplifying Installation Power Resiliency
Microreactors generate power by splitting atoms to create heat and steam, which spins a turbine to make electricity. Unlike traditional nuclear plants that require specialized cooling towers and large support facilities, each Radiant microreactor fits into a self-contained, modular unit roughly the size of a standard commercial bus. At Fort Benning, three microreactors will each generate one megawatt (MW) of electricity, establishing a combined 3 MW baseline of on-post generation that will continuously tie into the installation’s electrical network.
While 3 MW represents a fraction of total installation demand, it significantly enhances energy security during commercial grid outages or disruptions alongside existing backup-power systems. Like most military installations, Fort Benning relies primarily on commercial utilities for baseline power and diesel generators for emergency backup. Access to fossil fuels, however, can be hampered by long, vulnerable supply lines, particularly in times of crisis or conflict.
If the primary grid fails, the microreactors will sustain designated mission-critical facilities and infrastructure independently. According to Radiant, each unit has a 20-year lifespan and can operate for up to five years without refueling, removing the need for constant fuel deliveries and guaranteeing uninterrupted power for years rather than days.
Inherent Safety and Minimal Footprint
Technical leaders emphasize that modern microreactors feature fundamentally different safety profiles than legacy reactors.
"The Fort Benning microreactors are not like older, traditional nuclear plants that need giant cooling towers or millions of gallons of water to prevent an accident," said Dr. Ed Locke, Master Planner for the Directorate of Public Works and Fort Benning’s Janus Project Lead. "These microreactors are self-contained and walk-away safe.”
Locke explained that the microreactors are designed with passive safety features that automatically reduce unit power and remove residual heat without relying on external electrical power, cooling water, or operator intervention, a system governed by the laws of physics.
The reactors will be contractor-owned and operated with Army regulatory oversight. Radiant says it will be responsible for operating the Fort Benning-based units as well as fueling, refueling, and spent-fuel management.
Fort Benning officials have identified candidate land parcels for the microreactors, though the final site is still under evaluation.
"We are focusing on candidate sites with minimal surrounding structures, safe distances from water and everyday support facilities, and the right proximity to plug directly into Fort Benning’s power grid," Locke said. "The goal is an isolated footprint that supports base operations without interrupting daily life or training."
Delivering Long-Term Strategic Readiness
Launched in October 2025 through the Defense Innovation Unit, the Janus Program partners the Department of War with cutting-edge commercial clean-energy vendors to field resilient energy systems across strategic military installations. With host installations and vendors now paired, the Army will work through the prototype evaluation process toward having the first microreactors operational by 2028.
"This initiative comes down to contested-environment readiness and strategic deterrence," Tuley added. "If the regional grid goes dark, Fort Benning cannot go dark. Generating dedicated, long-duration power on post significantly strengthens our ability to keep our deployment platforms – including Lawson Army Airfield – and our core training pipelines ready when our nation calls.”
| Date Taken: | 09.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.11.2026 14:18 |
| Story ID: | 574459 |
| Location: | FORT BENNING, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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