Power to the Edge: Why the Pentagon Needs Portable Nuclear Reactors

At the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, fuel convoys were among the most dangerous missions in theater. The Department of Defense estimated that one in every eight U.S. casualties was linked to protecting fuel resupply. Two decades later, our forces field smarter drones and more efficient vehicles—but we’re still lugging diesel generators into remote regions and guarding vulnerable fuel lines with lives and treasure.

That must change. And thanks to a quiet innovation effort deep within the Pentagon, it finally can.

The Department of Defense is developing a new class of expeditionary energy technology: portable nuclear reactors. Project Pele, a small modular reactor (SMR) program run by the Department of Defense’s Strategic Capabilities Office, aims to deliver compact, truck-transportable microreactors capable of generating up to 5 megawatts of electric power. If successful, these reactors could transform how the military fights—and how it survives.

The Problem: Fuel Is a Liability

Energy is the lifeblood of modern war. From communications and surveillance to electronic warfare and drone swarms, today’s battlefields are digitally driven and power-hungry. Yet forward-deployed forces remain tethered to long logistics tails and local fuel depots. The result is a brittle system. Every convoy creates an exposure point. Every generator is a beacon. And every gallon of fuel that must be transported hundreds of miles through contested terrain limits strategic flexibility and adds operational risk.

A New Power Paradigm

Project Pele offers a solution. These small nuclear reactors are designed to be safely deployed in austere environments—airlifted by C-17 or shipped overland by truck—and activated within 72 hours. Unlike diesel generators, they don’t require constant refueling. Once operational, a single unit could power a forward operating base for weeks or months, enabling expeditionary forces to stay in the fight without leaning on dangerous convoys or fragile fuel networks.

This is not science fiction. The U.S. military has decades of experience operating nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. Project Pele simply adapts that legacy for the land domain—at a fraction of the size.

Strategic Gains at Every Level

The advantages of mobile microreactors are profound.

Agility: Bases can be set up anywhere, independent of local infrastructure or supply lines. This decentralization makes forces harder to predict and disrupt, especially in the Indo-Pacific, where vast distances complicate resupply.

Customization: A stable energy platform allows commanders to run more advanced systems: data centers, radar arrays, high-energy lasers, and autonomous platforms. It pairs perfectly with next-gen capabilities like expeditionary 3D printing or battlefield AI hubs—tools that demand consistent, high-output energy.

Survivability: Less reliance on convoys reduces exposure. A smaller logistics footprint also makes units stealthier and more resilient, especially in contested environments where fuel infrastructure is often the first target.

Guardrails for a New Age

Skeptics rightly raise concerns. The word “nuclear” still carries political baggage, public fear, and technical complexity. But modern microreactor designs are walk-away safe, with no risk of meltdown or weapons proliferation. These systems don’t resemble Cold War reactors—they’re self-contained, tamper-resistant, and engineered for simplicity.

And the stakes are too high to ignore. Energy isn’t just a support function, it’s now a warfighting domain. Without a reliable, mobile, and scalable power source, our most advanced capabilities can’t operate at full tempo. And our service members remain tethered to supply chains that adversaries are learning to target with speed and precision.

A Strategic Imperative

Congress has a critical role to play in bringing this vision to life. Project Pele must be prioritized in the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, with clear funding pathways for field testing, deployment exercises, and risk assessments in operational theaters. Additionally, the Pentagon should begin integrating microreactors into wargames and force design experiments across combatant commands.

This isn’t about chasing futuristic tech. It’s about delivering energy where it’s needed most, when it’s needed most, with the fewest strings attached.

If we want a military that can outmaneuver its adversaries without dragging a gas station behind it, then we need to rethink how we power the fight. Micro nuclear is the path forward.

It’s time to bring the reactor to the edge.