WASHINGTON, — The U.S. Department of Defense is preparing major military installations across the continental United States to operate independently for at least 90 days during a major conflict under its new FORTRESS initiative. Announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on September 30, 2026, during his State of the Force address, FORTRESS stands for Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply, and Survivability.
According to documents reviewed by Fox News Digital and reporting published on October 25, 2026, the initiative aims to reduce military dependence on civilian infrastructure and global supply chains. Under the plan, major U.S. bases must maintain independent access to electricity, water, fuel, and communications for at least 90 days.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said relying on civilian municipal infrastructure for national defense presents an unacceptable risk. He also noted that previous planning assumptions based on the protection offered by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans no longer adequately reflect current conditions.
Energy Independence and Backup Power
FORTRESS prioritizes energy security through portable small nuclear reactors, large-scale battery storage, and local microgrids capable of operating independently of civilian electricity networks. These systems are intended to keep command centres, communications, water systems, logistics, and other critical military functions running during prolonged power outages.
Parnell emphasized that electricity is essential to military readiness. Work on microgrids and battery storage is already progressing at selected sites. A senior defense official said in mid-October 2026 that the department was assessing requirements across approximately 500 installations in the continental United States. No deadline has been announced for implementing the complete 90-day standard across all bases.
Strategic Reserves and Supply Chain Security
The initiative calls for strategic reserves of munitions, fuel, medical supplies, electronic components, spare parts, and critical minerals. Stockpile levels would be determined by expected wartime consumption and the time required to replenish supplies.
The Pentagon also aims to establish at least two independent production or supply pathways for critical defense requirements, reducing dependence on a single supplier or factory and helping prevent production disruptions during a conflict.
Civilian Factories for Defense Production
FORTRESS includes the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network, established under the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The network identifies civilian factories that could rapidly switch to defense production during a crisis.
Preparations include technical requirements, contracts, production-conversion procedures, cybersecurity measures, and regular exercises to test industrial capacity and mobilization readiness. The objective is to prepare factories before a crisis rather than develop conversion plans after a conflict begins.
Cybersecurity, Space and Homeland Defense
FORTRESS also includes measures to protect military communications, navigation, and satellite systems against cyber threats, space-based disruptions, and GPS jamming.
The initiative reflects a broader shift in U.S. homeland defense planning. Parnell pointed to related efforts, including the Golden Dome program and increased attention to the Western Hemisphere, as the Pentagon reassesses threats to U.S. territory and military infrastructure.
By strengthening energy supplies, stockpiles, manufacturing capacity, and communications, the Pentagon aims to keep military bases operational even when civilian infrastructure and international supply chains are disrupted.
The immediate focus is on installations in the continental United States. Officials have not confirmed whether overseas U.S. military bases will eventually face the same 90-day self-sufficiency requirement.
——— End of Article ———