The United States military has airlifted a micro nuclear reactor for the first time, in a move reported by The Wall Street Journal as part of broader efforts by the US administration to expand the use of nuclear energy nationwide.

According to the report, three C-17 military cargo aircraft transported components of the Ward 250 microreactor, developed by Valar Atomics, from March Air Reserve Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah. The reactor was shipped without nuclear fuel.

During the approximately one-hour flight, representatives from the Pentagon and the US Department of Energy were reportedly seated beside the reactor module, which was enclosed in a plexiglass shell.

The Ward 250 is designed as a small modular reactor (SMR) capable of generating an initial output of 250 kilowatts. Company officials say the system could eventually scale up to produce as much as 5 megawatts of electricity—enough to power roughly 5,000 homes.

Supporters of the technology argue that advanced microreactors can provide reliable, scalable energy for remote or strategically sensitive locations, reducing vulnerabilities associated with fuel supply chains and enhancing energy resilience at military installations.

However, critics caution that accelerating the deployment of reactors built by private firms could raise safety and regulatory concerns, particularly if testing and oversight are not sufficiently rigorous.

Valar Atomics, which financed the flight, plans to test the reactor at a facility near Hill Air Force Base. The initiative reflects growing interest within the US defense establishment in next-generation nuclear systems aimed at strengthening operational energy security.

The development comes amid increasing global attention to small modular reactors as governments seek low-carbon and decentralized power solutions while balancing safety and nonproliferation considerations. (ILKHA)