The U.S. military successfully completed a historic first by airlifting a nuclear reactor using a C-17 transport aircraft on Sunday, the 15th.

The operation, codenamed "Operation Windlord," was designed to provide a proof of concept for the rapid deployment of energy sources to support aggressive objectives for expanding nuclear power and military needs, as set forth in an executive order by the Department of War (DOW), the Department of Energy (DOE), and Valar Atomics, according to a report by The Daily Caller on the 16th.

Michael Duffy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, told The Daily Caller, "What we've demonstrated today is the speed of technological development and the speed of transportation capability. It's a tremendous accomplishment to show that we can transport a reactor across state lines and move power sources in that manner."

Three Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft transported Valar Ward250 reactor modules from March Air Force Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah. These reactors are slated for further testing at the San Rafael Energy Lab in Utah.

Assistant Secretary Duffy stated, "We want to make sure that innovators are given the opportunity to bring their technology to bear without the burden of bureaucracy. I think today is another example of that."

In November, Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Department of War, announced the DoD's acquisition transformation strategy, aiming to modernize systems, increase production capacity, and ensure the "warfighting readiness" of the industrial base by transitioning from a "culture of compliance to one of speed and execution."

Industry development has been hindered for years due to strict nuclear regulations. While the Biden administration has sought to expand nuclear energy, its policies have primarily focused on wind and solar projects.

During a press conference on Sunday, Isaiah Taylor, CEO of Valar Atomics, emphasized that "the ability to provide reliable and independent power to warfighters is a strategic imperative," and that energy sources must be protected from enemy disruption. Taylor explained to reporters that the 5-megawatt (MW) reactor is designed to power approximately 5,000 homes.

"Abundant and scalable energy is the bedrock of national power," Taylor said. "Coal built the industrial age, oil won the wars of the 20th century. And nuclear energy, powered by American ingenuity, deployed at scale and rapidly, will drive the century ahead."

In May, President Donald Trump signed four executive orders aimed at removing regulatory barriers for nuclear energy, one of which directed the Department of Defense to initiate reactor operations "on domestic military bases or facilities by September 30, 2028."

Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy, stated at a press conference on Sunday, "We haven't built much in nuclear for 40 to 50 years, but through an executive order that came into effect just about 12 months ago, before July 4th of this year, multiple reactors will go critical. This is speed. This is innovation. This is the start of the nuclear renaissance."

The innovations driven by this partnership will ultimately contribute to the development of private energy infrastructure as well, Wright told The Daily Caller.

"The same technologies that will power reactors in remote military operational areas will power small villages in Alaska and remote mines, and ultimately be combined to power data centers and factories," Wright said.

The Federal Department of Energy (DOE) aims to have three reactors reach criticality and be operational by July 4, America's 250th birthday. While this date is an "ambitious goal," it is important to clarify what "critical" means, according to Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, in an interview with The Daily Caller.

"It does not mean full commercial operation or sustained power production," he explained. "These are controlled learning platforms designed to test materials, fuel forms, and operational concepts. Safety and approval standards still apply. If the goal is to build, test, and improve in a controlled environment, then that timeline is achievable."

Isaac described the transport of reactors via C-17 as a matter of "logistics and control, not a demonstration."

"When dealing with advanced nuclear equipment on an accelerated timeline, air transport reduces transit risks, compresses schedule uncertainty, and maintains security," he added. "If these systems are designed to be deployable and strategically relevant, then demonstrating that capability is part of the mission."

Nuclear energy will play a critical role in the military's expanded use of artificial intelligence, Duffy said.

"I think we are going to increasingly rely on [artificial intelligence] to gain decisive advantages in our warfighting capabilities and all of the tremendous mission command aspects that build up the greatness of our military, including the fiscal management, the procurement, the personnel management that the Department of Defense is responsible for," Assistant Secretary Duffy stated. "So, the increased reliance on AI will lead to an increased reliance on resilient energy, which goes beyond just an increased reliance on energy. And I think nuclear is the core component of that."

By Sung Ku Hong, Chief Reporter, NNP / Special Correspondent, NNP info@newsandpost.com