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Pentagon’s FORTRESS Plan Prepares US Bases to Operate 90 Days Without Outside Support
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The Pentagon is preparing major US military bases to operate independently for at least 90 days during a major conflict that could disrupt power grids, supply chains, communications, and other critical infrastructure, Fox News reported on October 25.
The requirement is part of a broader initiative called FORTRESS , which is intended to keep US forces functioning even if the civilian systems they normally rely on are damaged or unavailable.
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“We don’t want to rely on standard civilian municipal infrastructure to run our national defense. We just simply can’t. It’s an intolerable risk,” Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell told Fox News.
According to documents reviewed by Fox News, major military installations in the continental US would be expected to sustain essential operations independently for at least 90 days, including electricity, water, fuel, and communications.
FORTRESS envisions portable nuclear reactors, large-scale battery storage, and microgrids that could allow military bases to disconnect from civilian power networks during prolonged outages.
“Power is combat now. Without electricity, you lose communications, water, logistics, assembly lines and just basic military command structures,” Parnell stated.
Fox News reported that the Pentagon is also preparing for major disruptions to global supply chains during a large-scale war. The initiative calls for strategic reserves of munitions, fuel, critical minerals, electronics, spare parts, and medical supplies.
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For the most important defense dependencies, FORTRESS would require at least two qualified supply or production pathways, reducing the risk that the loss of one factory, supplier, or industrial capability could interrupt military operations.
The outlet also noted that the Pentagon is preparing civilian factories to shift toward defense production during a crisis through the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network.
The plan calls for manufacturers to be identified in advance, with technical requirements, cybersecurity protections, contracting arrangements, and conversion procedures established before a conflict begins.
Fox News reported that FORTRESS also includes recurring industrial stress tests and mobilization exercises intended to determine whether US manufacturers could maintain production during prolonged disruption.
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The initiative also includes measures to strengthen military communications, navigation, and satellite capabilities against interference.
The outlet reported that the Pentagon is preparing for operations in which GPS signals are jammed or space-based systems are disrupted, reducing dependence on vulnerable civilian and commercial infrastructure.
“The next conflict will likely be fought on multiple fronts,” Parnell told Fox News. “When that happens, global supply chains will break.”
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He described FORTRESS as an insurance policy intended to ensure US forces can continue operating during a prolonged, multi-front war even if critical infrastructure and supply networks fail.
The FORTRESS plan builds on earlier Pentagon efforts to expand the US defense industrial base beyond conventional military contractors. In April, UNITED24 Media reported that US officials were exploring whether companies including General Motors and Ford could shift civilian factories toward weapons, ammunition, and military equipment production during periods of heightened demand.
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