The key facts

  • The Pentagon is preparing bases to operate without external support for at least 90 days under the FORTRESS initiative
  • The plan includes portable nuclear reactors, microgrids, stockpiles of ammunition and fuel, as well as the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network
  • Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell called dependence on civilian infrastructure an “unacceptable risk”

Plan for 90-day base autonomy

The Pentagon is preparing American military bases to operate independently for at least 90 days in the event of a major war, ensuring the protection of key services and supplies from disruptions to civilian infrastructure and global supply chains. This was reported by Anadolu, citing documents reviewed by Fox News Digital. The initiative has been named FORTRESS.

Statements by the official spokesperson

“We do not want to depend on standard civilian municipal infrastructure to ensure national defense. We simply cannot. That is an unacceptable risk,” said Sean Parnell, head of the Pentagon's press office, in a comment to Fox News Digital. According to him, the country's defense planning must adapt to threats capable of reaching American territory. He noted that the previous approach was built on “the outdated assumption that two oceans would protect us,” and linked the new course to President Donald Trump's initiatives, including Golden Dome and increased attention to the Western Hemisphere, Greenland, and Panama.

Energy, reserves, and industry

FORTRESS provides for portable nuclear reactors, large-scale energy storage systems, and microgrids to keep bases running during power outages. The plan also includes strategic stockpiles of ammunition, fuel, critical minerals, electronics, spare parts, and medical supplies, as well as at least two qualified supply or production routes for critical defense needs. A separate component is the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network: preparing civilian factories to switch to defense production with advance planning of contracts, cybersecurity, and conversion procedures, as well as regular industrial stress tests and mobilization exercises. The initiative is also aimed at protecting military communications, navigation, and satellite capabilities from interference, including GPS jamming and disruptions to space assets.

Rationale for the initiative

“The next conflict will likely be fought on multiple fronts. Look at the geopolitics of any major war. When that happens, global supply chains will break,” Parnell said. He added: “Energy is now a battle. Without electricity, you lose communications, water, logistics, assembly lines, and basic military command structures.” According to him, FORTRESS is an “insurance policy” that allows forces to remain combat-ready if a major conflict disrupts the infrastructure and supply chains they depend on. Editorial comment: the essence of the initiative comes down to reducing the military's dependence on civilian systems — from power grids to logistics — which directly follows from the listed measures: redundant supplies, autonomous power generation, and advance industrial conversion. In practical terms, this means that civilian enterprises in the US may face involvement in defense planning through the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network.