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China’s Nightmare: U.S. Bases That Don’t Need Fuel
America’s military planners know that any showdown with China in the Indo-Pacific will test supply chains like never before. Most U.S. bases still rely on oil shipped thousands of miles through contested waters.
“Our ability to move energy around the oceans has never been more challenged,” Waksman said.
Places like Guam, which gets 90% of its power from imported oil, would be crippled if China disrupted tanker routes. Solar and wind? Forget it—those don’t keep radar systems or drones running 24/7.
“It is not possible with current technology to provide 24/7 power with solar, wind, and batteries,” Waksman said.
“So the only solution to the tyranny of fuel that exists now is nuclear power.”
This shift means the U.S. can operate and fight anywhere—without depending on vulnerable fuel convoys. That’s a strategic nightmare for China.
Trump’s SpaceX-Inspired Plan to Win the Nuclear Race
The genius behind Trump’s approach lies in how the Army is structuring the program. Instead of the usual bloated government contracts that drag on for decades, the Janus Program uses milestone-based contracting, modeled after NASA’s partnership with SpaceX.
Private companies will build and operate the reactors, not the Army—creating a competitive market that rewards results, not red tape.
“The Army doesn’t want to be the only buyer of these reactors,” Waksman said. “If we can get industry to the sixth or seventh unit, where they can sell to commercial partners, then we’ve succeeded.”
In other words, the military proves it works. The private sector scales it up. The entire nuclear industry gets reborn.
Fixing the Mistakes of the Past
Between 1954 and 1977, the Army’s original nuclear program was plagued with disasters—the infamous SL-1 explosion in Idaho and radioactive contamination at Camp Century in Greenland are grim reminders. But modern microreactors solve those problems.
They’re small, modular, and self-contained, capable of producing 1 to 20 megawatts of power for years without refueling. They use TRISO fuel, which is nearly meltdown-proof, and can be shipped by truck or plane.
“Having something that can provide power for years at a time without any resupply would be an absolute game-changer,” Waksman said.
Rebuilding America’s Nuclear Industrial Might
Waksman warns that the biggest hurdle isn’t technology—it’s supply. America’s nuclear manufacturing base was gutted by decades of neglect.
“In order to provide components that are viable under the conditions of a nuclear reactor, you need certified suppliers – and there just aren’t enough,” he said.
The Janus Program aims to rebuild that supply chain, ensuring multiple qualified vendors can deliver components quickly and securely.
Beijing’s Problem Just Got a Whole Lot Bigger
Trump’s strategy doesn’t just strengthen U.S. bases—it jumpstarts a new American nuclear industry ready to dominate global markets. China, which has relied on selling older reactors abroad, suddenly faces a competitor with cutting-edge, combat-proven microreactors.
Trump’s May executive order didn’t mince words, calling for a quadrupling of America’s nuclear capacity to 400 gigawatts by 2050—a direct challenge to Chinese energy hegemony.
The plan is simple but devastating: let the U.S. military prove the tech works in the harshest conditions on Earth, then unleash American companies to sell it worldwide. No nation will want China’s outdated reactors when America can deliver small, portable, next-gen nuclear plants that run for years without refueling.
