For the first time, U.S. military C-17s transported eight unfueled nuclear reactor modules from March Air Reserve Base near Riverside, California, to Hill Air Force Base in Utah under Operation Windlord on Sunday.

In a post on X, Valar founder Isaiah Taylor said that three C-17 Globemaster III aircraft transported eight modules of a system known as the Ward 250 reactor.

Today, the Department of War will execute Operation Windlord, the first C-17 airlift of a nuclear reactor, in partnership with the Department of Energy and Valar Atomics.

Three C-17s Globemasters carrying the 8 modules of the Ward250 reactor will fly from March ARB to Hill AFB. pic.twitter.com/uIL7LMxACQ

— Isaiah Taylor – making nuclear reactors (@isaiah_p_taylor) February 15, 2026

Operation Windlord behind the scenes Part 3: The Loadup pic.twitter.com/NGrOjxaLNS

— Valar Atomics (@valaratomics) February 15, 2026

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the flight supports President Donald Trump’s nuclear energy goals, including the rapid construction of reactors to power artificial intelligence data centers for defense.

Officials framed the project as part of a broader strategy to ensure consistent power generation for defense operations in contested or remote environments.

Undersecretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey said that modular nuclear deployment allows military bases to operate independently of local utilities, reducing operational vulnerabilities.

The Valar Atomics-built Ward 250 reactors will undergo testing at Utah’s San Rafael Energy Lab, with plans for activation by July. 

On May 23, Trump signed Executive Order 14301 to launch a “nuclear renaissance,” including measures to accelerate nuclear licensing with the goal of having at least three advanced nuclear reactors producing energy by July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.