US Military Conducts First Airlift of Next-Gen Nuclear Reactor to Utah

The Pentagon said the reactor is small in size and can generate up to 5 megawatts of electricity.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Undersecretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey on board a C-17 cargo plane that transported Valar Atomics' Ward nuclear microreactor from March Air Force Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah on Feb. 15, 2026. Valerie Volcovici/Reuters

The Pentagon said it airlifted a next-generation nuclear reactor from California to Utah on Feb. 15 to boost energy security and reduce the military’s reliance on the civilian power grid.

The reactor was airlifted from March Air Reserve Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah aboard a C-17 Globemaster aircraft. It will later be transported to the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab for testing and evaluation, the Pentagon said in a statement.