WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is ordering major U.S. military installations to operate independently for at least 90 days without relying on civilian infrastructure, part of a sweeping effort to prepare American forces for conflict on home soil.
The initiative, called FORTRESS, requires each base to sustain essential services—electricity, water, fuel and communications—without outside support. It reflects a fundamental shift in how the Pentagon approaches homeland defense, moving beyond the assumption that geography alone will shield the country from attack.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said the military cannot afford to depend on civilian municipal power grids for national defense. "Power is combat now," Parnell said, explaining that losing electricity would sever communications, water, logistics, weapons manufacturing and military command structures.
President Trump has pushed the Pentagon to rethink Cold War-era assumptions about American invulnerability. "We've moved past the antiquated assumption that two oceans would protect us," Parnell said, pointing to Trump's emphasis on securing the Western Hemisphere, Greenland and Panama.
FORTRESS envisions deploying portable nuclear reactors, large-scale battery storage and microgrids across military installations to allow bases to disconnect from civilian electrical grids. Beyond base independence, the Pentagon is also preparing civilian factories to convert to defense production during a crisis and establishing alternative supply chains and strategic reserves for weapons and fuel.
Separately, the Pentagon launched Project Meridian, a new initiative to study future warfare technology. The effort is led by Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael with co-leaders including entrepreneur Elon Musk, inventor Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The group must submit findings within 120 days outlining key technologies and strategies for future military operations.
