Air Force Pairs Three Microreactor Firms With Bases, Moves Into Siting and Safety Reviews

Next comes environmental review followed by licensing from nuclear regulators.

Overview

The Department of the Air Force confirmed vendor–base pairings under its microreactor program, selecting Radiant for Buckley Space Force Base, Westinghouse for Malmstrom Air Force Base, and Antares for Joint Base San Antonio.
Program work now shifts to site selection studies and National Environmental Policy Act reviews that assess location options, environmental impacts, and community considerations.
Westinghouse said its eVinci microreactor is the technology under consideration at Malmstrom, reflecting the company’s compact, factory-built design approach.
Any reactor deployed would power only critical facilities on base and not the public grid, with Air Force officials planning to coordinate permits and agreements with local utilities.
Reactors would be run by trained industry operators and must secure an operating license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or authorization from the Department of Energy, with the Air Force aiming to field at least one unit by 2030 to bolster energy resilience.