For the first time, the US airlifted a compact, advanced micro nuclear reactor aboard a military transport aircraft, flying it from a US Air Force base in California to a laboratory in Utah.
According to senior US defense official Michael Duffey, the test is designed to examine logistical scenarios needed to deploy mobile microreactors.
He said the demonstration is intended to build a comprehensive understanding of the operational and transport challenges involved in rapidly positioning such systems.
The Pentagon stated that the program is being carried out in line with the policy of President Donald Trump and is part of a partnership with private company Valar Atomics. The goal is to strengthen US nuclear energy capabilities and improve the military’s ability to supply reliable power in remote or forward-deployed environments.