Key facts
- The Pentagon's FORTRESS plan aims for 90 days of independent operation for military bases.
- Portable nuclear reactors are being considered to power military installations.
- Stockpiling of critical supplies and transitioning civilian factories for wartime production are part of the plan.
- Chinese state-sponsored hackers have been linked to compromising U.S. critical infrastructure.
The U.S. Department of Defense is developing a comprehensive plan, codenamed FORTRESS, to ensure military bases can operate independently for at least 90 days in the event of a widespread power grid collapse and supply chain disruption. This initiative involves exploring the use of portable nuclear reactors, large-scale battery installations, and independent microgrids to maintain critical military functions. The plan also includes significant stockpiling of essential resources and preparing civilian factories for rapid conversion to wartime production. Officials have expressed long-standing concerns that a loss of electricity could severely impair military communications, logistics, and command structures.