Last week, we told you about Torrance-based Antares Nuclear and its push to build compact nuclear reactors.

Now that story has taken a significant step forward.

The U.S. Army has selected Antares under its Janus Program to own, construct and operate a nuclear microreactor at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The selection moves Antares beyond reactor testing and development and toward an actual military deployment pathway.

The Army’s goal is to have an Army-regulated reactor operating on an installation by September 2028, making the Fort Bragg project an important test of whether advanced nuclear systems can provide reliable power for military bases without depending entirely on the commercial electric grid or conventional fuel deliveries.

Antares also strengthened another critical piece of that deployment strategy last week.

The company entered a long-term agreement with Standard Nuclear for TRISO fuel through 2035, giving Antares a dedicated supply pathway for the specialized fuel used by its reactor systems.

Then came another federal boost.

Antares was selected for the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Launch Pad Program, which is designed to help advanced reactor companies move from demonstration toward commercial deployment.

Taken together, the developments represent a clear progression from the story we covered last week.

Antares is no longer simply developing microreactor technology in Torrance. It is now building the fuel, federal and military relationships needed to put that technology into actual service.

For Torrance, that makes Antares one of the more closely watched companies in the city’s rapidly expanding advanced-energy and defense-tech sector.

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