Pentagon Airlifts Unfueled 5‑MW Microreactor as Trump Shifts Licensing Power From NRC
On Feb. 15, 2026 a C‑17 airlifted an unfueled privately built 5‑megawatt microreactor about 700 miles from March Air Reserve Base, Calif., to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Undersecretary of Defense Michael Duffey on board and calling the move historic. The flight follows Trump executive orders in 2025–26 that give Wright authority to approve certain advanced reactor designs — partially shifting licensing power away from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission — as the administration pitches microreactors for off‑grid military sites and data centers while critics question safety, feasibility and cost; Wright has said at least three microreactors will reach criticality by July 4.
📌 Key Facts
- On Feb. 15, 2026 the U.S. military for the first time airlifted an unfueled, privately built 5‑megawatt microreactor about 700 miles by C‑17 from March Air Reserve Base (California) to Hill Air Force Base (Utah).
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Undersecretary of Defense Michael Duffey flew with the reactor and publicly hailed the airlift as historic for U.S. nuclear deployment.
- President Trump signed executive orders in 2025–26 allowing Energy Secretary Wright to approve certain advanced reactor designs and projects, partially shifting licensing authority away from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Wright said at least three microreactors will reach nuclear criticality by July 4 under the administration's timeline and called the effort the start of a 'nuclear renaissance.'
- The administration promotes microreactors as a way to power military bases off the civilian grid and to meet energy demands from AI/data centers, while skeptics question their safety, feasibility and cost.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
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- Confirms the Feb. 15, 2026 C‑17 flight from March Air Reserve Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah, carrying an unfueled privately built 5‑megawatt microreactor about 700 miles.
- Reports that Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Undersecretary of Defense Michael Duffey flew with the reactor and publicly hailed the airlift as historic for U.S. nuclear deployment.
- Details that Trump signed a series of executive orders in 2025–26 allowing Wright to approve certain advanced reactor designs and projects, partially removing that authority from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Quotes Wright saying at least three microreactors will reach nuclear criticality by July 4 under Trump’s timeline, and branding this the start of a 'nuclear renaissance.'
- Emphasizes the administration’s framing of microreactors as a way to power both military bases off the civilian grid and energy‑hungry AI/data‑center growth, while skeptics question safety, feasibility and cost.