General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has announced its selection by the US Army as one of multiple industry partners for the Janus Program to advance the General Atomics Tactical Energy System (GA‑TES) for future deployment.
"General Atomics draws on more than 70 years of nuclear innovation and reactor expertise to deliver microreactor technologies that provide safe, dependable and independent power for military installations. Our experience designing and deploying 68 reactors worldwide and supporting reactor technologies throughout their lifecycles positions us to deliver assured energy solutions that enhance operational resilience and strengthen mission readiness," president of GA-EMS, Scott Forney, said.
Engineered for remote, austere and strategically important environments, GA-TES is a microreactor designed to deliver safe and reliable power to maintain critical operations during electric grid disruptions that threaten energy security.
Led by the US Army in partnership with the US Department of War Innovation Unit, the Janus Program is accelerating commercially developed nuclear technologies into operational use.
GA-EMS will execute its effort through an Other Transaction Authority-based agreement and milestone-based funding tied to specific technical goals.
GA‑TES builds on General Atomics' longstanding nuclear heritage, including its work in uranium-zirconium hydride (UZrH) fuel technology and the safety and operating record of TRIGA reactors deployed globally.
GA-TES combines the self-regulating characteristics of UZrH fuel with pump-free natural-circulation cooling.
"The Janus Program is about transitioning from designs and experiments to reliable commercial hardware which secures our energy independence," principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, Jeff Waksman, said.
"The Janus Program vendors were selected through a deeply rigorous evaluation on technical, financial and organizational capabilities conducted by an all-star panel of dozens of experts from across the nation. We look forward to working alongside each team as they proceed toward successfully completing the rigorous technical milestones we've agreed upon."
GA‑TES is a liquid-metal-cooled microreactor with a baseline net output of approximately 5 megawatts electric (MWe) and an architecture scalable to approximately 20 MWe.
Designed for remote, off-grid and extreme environments, the plant has a design life of 40 years. Its modular architecture supports transport and deployment by truck or rail, while natural-circulation primary coolant flow eliminates pumps and associated mechanical complexity.
"Passive safety and operational simplicity are fundamental to our Tactical Energy System design. Self-protecting UZrH fuel and pump-free natural-circulation cooling reduce reliance on active systems and operator intervention, while provide flexibility to meet evolving defense energy requirements," vice president of GA-EMS Nuclear Technologies and Materials, Christina Back, said.
Under the Janus Program, Fort Hood, Texas, will serve as the installation to advance GA-TES through development, testing and site-planning milestones toward potential deployment. This work supports the Army's broader nuclear objectives.