Nuclear Power: An Option for the Army's Future

The Army Transformation initiative of Chief of Staff General Eric K. Shinseki represents a significant change in how the Army will be structured and conduct operations. Post-Cold War threats have forced Army leaders to think "outside the box" and develop the next-generation Objective Force, a lighter and more mobile fighting army that relies heavily on technology and joint-force support. More changes can be anticipated. As we consider what the Army might look like beyond the Objective Force of 2010, nuclear power could play a major role in another significant change: the shift of military energy use away from carbon-based resources. Nuclear reactor technology could be used to generate the ultimate fuels for both vehicles and people: environmentally neutral hydrogen for equipment fuel and potable water for human consumption.