Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 3, 2026) - Aegis Critical Energy Defence Corp. (CSE: QESS) (OTCQB: QESSF) (FSE: JG6) ("Aegis" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the official formation of its new subsidiary, Homeland Nuclear Energy Inc. ("Homeland Nuclear"). This specialized entity is dedicated to the development, integration, and deployment of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) technologies within Aegis's broader ecosystem of resilient energy solutions.

The launch of Homeland Nuclear represents a strategic expansion of Aegis's mission to provide sovereign, mission-critical power. By establishing a dedicated nuclear-focused arm, Aegis aims to streamline the commercialization of hybrid energy systems that combine the steady-state baseload of modular nuclear power with the rapid-response capabilities of Aegis's proprietary Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

Strategic Mandate: Sovereignty and Resilience

Homeland Nuclear Energy Inc. will focus on three core pillars:

• Infrastructure Integration: Designing standardized interfaces to link next-generation micro-reactors with industrial and defence microgrids.
• Sovereign Energy Security: Providing carbon-free, long-tenure power solutions for remote northern communities, strategic ports, and military installations where traditional fuel supply chains are vulnerable.
• Regulatory & Safety Leadership: Working alongside academic and industry partners to ensure all integrated nuclear-battery architectures meet the highest standards of North American safety and cybersecurity.

"The formation of Homeland Nuclear Energy is the natural evolution of our commitment to the 'Defence-in-Depth' energy strategy," said Paul Dickson, CEO of Aegis Critical Energy Defence. "As the demand for energy independence grows-particularly in the Arctic and across critical infrastructure-Homeland Nuclear will serve as the bridge between advanced reactor technology and the ruggedized, battery-integrated systems Aegis is known for."

Synergies with the Aegis Ecosystem

Homeland Nuclear will leverage Aegis's existing technology stack, including its quantum-secured energy management controls and ruggedized battery hardware designed for extreme environments. This synergy allows for the creation of "plug-and-play" nuclear-hybrid microgrids that can be deployed faster and operated more securely than traditional custom-built plants.

By isolating nuclear integration within a specialized subsidiary, Aegis ensures a dedicated focus on the unique licensing, safety, and engineering requirements of the nuclear sector while continuing to scale its core BESS and telecom business lines.

About Aegis Critical Energy Defence Corp.

Aegis Critical Energy Defence Corp. (CSE: QESS) (OTCQB: QESSF) (FSE: JG6) develops and integrates advanced battery energy storage systems for defence, critical infrastructure, industrial, and AI data centre applications. Through strategic partnerships with Indigenous communities and global technology leaders, Aegis delivers rugged, intelligent, and secure energy systems designed for the next generation of mission-critical operations.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Aegis Critical Energy Defence Corp.'s actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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