BWX Technologies has been selected by the U.S. Army to develop a 20-megawatt nuclear microreactor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, under the military’s $2.2 billion Janus program. The project places the nuclear manufacturer ahead of better-known advanced-reactor developers Oklo and NuScale Power for this installation.
The planned system is BWXT’s BWXT Advanced Nuclear Reactor, or BANR. It will use high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and TRISO fuel, in which small uranium particles are enclosed in multiple protective layers intended to retain radioactive materials.
Project schedule and design
According to the project details reported October 30, the reactor is designed to produce 20 megawatts of electricity and 75 megawatts of thermal power. The installation is expected to occupy less than five acres and operate for approximately four years between refueling cycles.
BWXT expects to break ground in late 2028, with operations beginning in the early 2030s. Those dates describe the company’s expectations for the Fort Campbell project rather than an operating reactor already in service.
| Project detail | Reported plan |
|---|---|
| Developer | BWX Technologies |
| Location | Fort Campbell, Kentucky |
| Electric output | 20 megawatts |
| Thermal output | 75 megawatts |
| Refueling interval | About four years |
| Expected construction start | Late 2028 |
| Expected operations | Early 2030s |
Established defense business
The Army’s selection comes as BWXT operates an existing nuclear manufacturing business that supplies components and fuel for U.S. defense programs, including naval propulsion systems. That industrial base distinguishes the company from earlier-stage reactor developers that are still building out their manufacturing and commercial operations.
- The BANR design uses high-temperature gas-cooled technology.
- Its fuel is based on TRISO particles with protective layers.
- The planned reactor would provide both electricity and thermal power.
- The site is expected to cover less than five acres.
BWXT’s reported financial results also provide context for its ability to participate in a long-term government project. In the second quarter of 2026, the company generated approximately $902 million in revenue, an increase of 18% from the same period a year earlier. Its backlog reached approximately $8.4 billion, up from $6 billion one year earlier.
That backlog represents contracted work across BWXT’s business and does not represent revenue from the Fort Campbell project alone. The Army selection therefore adds to the company’s advanced-nuclear pipeline, but the reported figures should not be treated as financial results from the microreactor project.
Potential uses beyond the installation
The Fort Campbell reactor is part of the Army’s effort to develop a compact nuclear power system for a military site. BWXT’s established defense operations and the project’s limited land requirement also position the BANR design for consideration in applications beyond a single installation, although the details provided do not establish additional deployments or commercial orders.
The company has already signed a letter of intent related to further opportunities, according to the reported information. The Fort Campbell schedule remains several years away, with construction expected in late 2028 and service targeted for the early 2030s.
