UNITED STATES — 26 October 2026. The Pentagon is preparing America’s major military installations to operate for at least 90 days without outside support if a major war disrupts civilian electricity, water supplies, fuel deliveries and communications.
The requirement forms part of FORTRESS America, a defence initiative launched on 30 September by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Its name stands for Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply, and Survivability.
Under plans detailed on 25 October, major bases in the continental United States would become capable of sustaining essential military operations independently for three months. Proposed measures include portable nuclear reactors, large-scale battery storage and independent electrical microgrids capable of operating when civilian power networks fail.
The Pentagon also intends to establish deeper reserves of ammunition, fuel, critical minerals, electronics, replacement parts and medical supplies. Reserve quantities would vary according to operational requirements and how quickly supplies could be replenished.
A separate component involves the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network, established under legislation enacted in December 2025. The network is intended to prepare American commercial factories to switch to military production during a national emergency, with manufacturing capabilities, contracts and conversion requirements identified in advance.
The programme also addresses protection against cyberattacks, sabotage, drones and interference with satellite navigation and communications.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the military could no longer assume civilian infrastructure and international supply chains would remain operational during a major conflict.
FORTRESS is a preparedness programme, not an announcement that war is imminent. Its full costs, completion timetable and funding arrangements have not yet been publicly established, and achieving the 90-day objective will require substantial infrastructure investment.
Sources
Secretary Hegseth Announces Six Major Initiatives at Quantico Speech. U.S. Department of Defense, 30 September 2026.
Official Pentagon announcement
Inside the Pentagon’s Doomsday Plan to Keep America Fighting if Global War Erupts. Fox News Digital, 25 October 2026.
Original reporting on the 90-day requirement
Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network. U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Industrial Base Growth.
Official manufacturing programme
Reshaping Defense: Secretary Hegseth’s Latest Initiatives, Point by Point. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 20 October 2026.
Independent defence analysis
