US Unveils FORTRESS America to Make Major Military Bases Independent of Civilian Power Grid
The United States has unveiled FORTRESS America, a new military resilience initiative designed to reduce the dependence of major US military installations on civilian infrastructure and strengthen the country’s defence supply chains.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the initiative on September 30 during his “State of the Force” address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The programme is formally named Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply and Survivability.
A central element of FORTRESS America is the goal of enabling every major US military installation to generate its own power, allowing bases to remain operational if the civilian electricity network is disrupted by cyberattacks, sabotage or other emergencies.
What Is FORTRESS America?
FORTRESS America is a broad military infrastructure and supply-chain resilience programme announced by the US Department of War.
The initiative focuses on several areas, including independent power generation, domestic production of critical defence materials, strategic stockpiles and protection of military installations against cyber and physical threats.
According to the department, the programme is intended to reduce vulnerabilities created by dependence on foreign mines, overseas manufacturing and civilian infrastructure.
Hegseth described FORTRESS America as a form of national insurance intended to keep military operations functioning during major disruptions.
Military Bases to Generate Independent Power
One of the most significant elements of FORTRESS America is its energy component.
The initiative calls for every major US military installation to eventually generate its own electricity rather than relying entirely on the civilian power grid.
The objective is to ensure that bases can continue operating if nearby civilian infrastructure is disabled. This includes maintaining power for command centres, aircraft operations and other mission-critical facilities.
The programme does not necessarily mean that every base will immediately disconnect from commercial electricity networks. Instead, the goal is to establish sufficient independent generation and resilient infrastructure to keep critical operations running during grid disruptions.
Nuclear Microreactors Already Part of US Military Energy Plans
The FORTRESS announcement builds on energy-resilience programmes that the US military was already developing.
In August, the US Army announced plans to provide up to $2.2 billion over five years to five companies developing nuclear microreactors for five military installations. The projects are part of the Army’s Janus Program.
The selected locations include Fort Drum in New York, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia and Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
The reactors are expected to produce between 1 megawatt and 20 megawatts each, depending on the design. The Army has said the installations would remain connected to the commercial grid, while the reactors would provide additional resilient power rather than completely replacing grid electricity.
At Fort Benning, for example, three planned microreactors are expected to provide a combined 3 MW of baseline generation for critical installation infrastructure.
Renewable and Other Energy Sources Could Also Play a Role
Nuclear power is not the only potential source of independent electricity for US military installations.
The Air Force and other services have explored technologies including solar power, geothermal generation and microgrids to improve energy resilience.
Such systems can be combined with existing generators and storage infrastructure to create multiple layers of backup power.
The precise energy mix for each installation is expected to depend on local requirements, available technologies and the nature of the military mission.
Strengthening Defence Supply Chains
FORTRESS America goes beyond electricity generation.
The initiative also seeks to bring important defence supply chains back to the United States. The programme specifically identifies areas such as rare earths, specialty metals, semiconductors and propellants.
These materials are important to modern military systems, including electronics, communications equipment, precision weapons and other advanced technologies.
The initiative therefore links energy security with industrial and supply-chain resilience.
Strategic Reserves of Fuel, Weapons and Medical Supplies
Another component of FORTRESS America is the expansion of strategic reserves.
The Department of War said the programme will build deeper reserves of munitions, fuel, medicine and blood so military forces can continue operating if global supply chains are disrupted.
This approach is designed to address potential disruptions that could occur during a major conflict or other national emergency.
For the military, maintaining supplies is particularly important because overseas operations can depend on long and vulnerable logistics networks.
Protecting Bases From Cyber and Physical Threats
FORTRESS America also includes measures to strengthen military installations against cyber intrusion, sabotage and drone-related threats.
The Pentagon has highlighted concerns that attacks against civilian infrastructure could indirectly affect military readiness. A more resilient infrastructure network could help military installations maintain essential services during disruptions.
The programme therefore aims to create more resilient military infrastructure capable of operating through disruptions.
A Separate Project for a New Military Base
Hegseth announced FORTRESS America alongside another infrastructure initiative called the Next Great American Base.
The proposed installation is intended to be a highly hardened, self-sustaining military facility with independent power generation and advanced infrastructure.
The Department of War said it plans to invite states to compete to host the new installation, with governors and state military officials expected to present proposals.
The new base is separate from the broader effort to improve energy independence at existing installations.
What FORTRESS America Means for US Military Infrastructure
The programme represents a broader shift toward treating military infrastructure as part of national security planning.
Instead of relying on a single civilian power network or overseas supply chain, the Pentagon wants military installations to have alternative sources of electricity, supplies and communications.
However, the initiative is a long-term programme rather than an immediate transformation of every US military base. The department has not provided a comprehensive cost estimate or a detailed timeline for making every major installation independently powered.
Existing projects such as the Army’s Janus microreactor programme are likely to form part of the broader effort.
FAQs
1. What is FORTRESS America?
FORTRESS America stands for Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply and Survivability. It is a US military initiative focused on infrastructure, energy and supply-chain resilience.
2. What is the main goal of FORTRESS America?
A central goal is to enable major US military installations to generate independent power so they can continue critical operations if the civilian electricity grid is disrupted.
3. Will US military bases immediately leave the civilian power grid?
No. The initiative is focused on developing independent generation and resilient infrastructure. Existing military energy programmes generally envision bases remaining connected to commercial grids while maintaining independent backup or mission-critical power.
4. Will nuclear power be used?
Nuclear microreactors are already being developed for several US military installations through the Army’s Janus Program. The broader FORTRESS initiative can include multiple energy technologies.
5. How much is the Army spending on nuclear microreactors?
The Army has announced up to $2.2 billion over five years for five companies involved in the microreactor programme.
6. What other areas does FORTRESS America cover?
The initiative includes domestic defence supply chains, strategic reserves of fuel and other critical materials, cybersecurity, protection against sabotage and resilience of communications and other infrastructure.
7. Why does the US military want independent power?
Independent generation could help military installations maintain critical operations during civilian-grid failures caused by cyberattacks, physical sabotage, natural disasters or other disruptions.
8. What is the Next Great American Base?
It is a separate initiative announced alongside FORTRESS America to develop a new, highly resilient US military installation with independent power and advanced infrastructure.
9. When will FORTRESS America be fully implemented?
The US Department of War has not announced a single completion date for the entire programme. The initiative will involve multiple projects and infrastructure upgrades over time.
10. Who announced FORTRESS America?
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the initiative on September 30, 2026, during a State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
