Power grids down, supply chains broken: Pentagon's doomsday plan to fight global war

The Pentagon is reportedly laying the groundwork for civilian factories to switch to defence production in times of crisis. This is part of a broader initiative called FORTRESS, which aims to ensure that US forces can continue combat operations even if the civilian systems they depend on are disrupted.

In Short

• Pentagon plans 90-day self-sufficiency for US military bases for wartime
• Initiative aims to secure power, water, fuel, communications independently
• Civilian factories may switch to defence production in crises, says Pentagon

The Pentagon is reportedly working on a plan to ensure that US military bases can sustain themselves without external support for at least 90 days as it prepares for a scenario where a major war disrupts power grids, supply chains and critical infrastructure on American soil.

This is part of a broader initiative called FORTRESS, which aims to ensure that US forces can continue combat operations even if the civilian systems they depend on are disrupted, Fox News Digital reported, citing relevant documents it reviewed.

"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 was quoted as saying by the news outlet.

The Pentagon is also laying the groundwork for civilian factories to switch to defence production in times of crisis, Fox News Digital reported.

It further said that alternative supply chains and strategic reserves are being developed to ensure the continued availability of weapons, fuel and other essential materials.

"Power is combat now. Without electricity, you lose communications, water, logistics, assembly lines and just basic military command structures," Parnell stated.

FORTRESS reportedly envisions major military installations across the continental United States sustaining essential operations independently for at least 90 days, with access to electricity, water, fuel and communications being a key requirement.

The requirement signals a broader shift in the Pentagon’s approach to protecting the US mainland, with preparations purportedly taking into account the possibility that a major conflict could disrupt the infrastructure needed to sustain military operations on American soil.

"I realized that a lot of the way we think about homeland defense was built around the antiquated assumption that two oceans would protect us," Parnell said.

He asserted that President Donald Trump has paved for a new approach to the protection the American homeland.

"President Trump understands that world is gone, and he's already paved the way for new thinking: Golden Dome, a renewed focus on the Western Hemisphere, Greenland, Panama," Parnell remarked.

One of the key concerns of the Trump administration is the military's reliance on civilian power grids for everything from communications and logistics to weapons production.

PORTABLE NUKE REACTORS FOR NON-STOP POWER

FORTRESS envisages the use of portable nuclear reactors, large-scale battery storage systems and microgrids that can disconnect military installations from the civilian power grid, enabling them to remain operational during extended power outages.

Parnell stated, "Mission-critical power must be independent, hardened, and redundant."

The Pentagon has already announced plans to reduce the dependence of major military bases on civilian power infrastructure.

The 90-day self-sufficiency requirement takes this a step further by covering not just electricity but also other essential services necessary to keep military operations running.

The developments surface as the US-Iran war approaches the eight-month mark.

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