The Pentagon is preparing major U.S. military installations to operate independently for at least 90 days without outside support under a new initiative designed to protect American forces if a major conflict disrupts essential infrastructure.

The plan, known as FORTRESS, is intended to ensure military bases can maintain critical operations even if civilian electricity, water systems, fuel supplies and communications networks become unavailable. According to Fox News, the initiative reflects growing concerns that a large-scale war could threaten the infrastructure supporting military operations inside the United States.

“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.

The initiative calls for investments in portable nuclear reactors, large-scale battery storage and microgrids that would allow military installations to disconnect from civilian electrical networks while maintaining their own power supplies.

“Power is combat now,” Parnell said, warning that losing electricity could disrupt military communications, water supplies, logistics, manufacturing and command operations.

FORTRESS extends beyond energy independence. The Pentagon also plans to establish strategic reserves of ammunition, fuel, critical minerals, electronics, spare parts and medical supplies to sustain military operations if international shipping routes and global supply chains are disrupted.

The initiative would also require at least two qualified supply or production pathways for critical defense materials and capabilities. The goal is to prevent the loss of a single factory, supplier, or manufacturing operation from interrupting military readiness during a conflict.

Another component involves preparing American civilian factories to shift to military production during a national emergency. Through the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network, the Pentagon plans to identify suitable manufacturers and establish technical requirements, cybersecurity protections, contracts, and conversion procedures before a crisis begins.

The program also includes plans to assess industrial capacity and conduct exercises to determine whether manufacturers could maintain production during prolonged disruptions.

The effort reflects a shift in military planning toward protecting the American homeland against threats that could extend beyond overseas battlefields. Officials have warned that adversaries could target the infrastructure and supply networks on which U.S. forces depend.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined the broader FORTRESS America initiative in September, identifying energy independence, supply-chain resilience, strategic reserves, installation security and protection of space and communications capabilities as key priorities.

The Pentagon is still assessing the requirements and costs of making installations more self-sufficient. Officials have indicated that implementing the broader program across hundreds of domestic military facilities could take years, with the immediate emphasis on improving energy resilience and reducing dependence on civilian power grids.

The objective is to ensure American forces can continue operating through a prolonged conflict even if domestic infrastructure fails and critical supplies become difficult to obtain.