The Pentagon is developing a requirement for every major military base in the continental United States to maintain essential operations without outside help for at least 90 days. Known as FORTRESS, the initiative covers not only electricity but also water, fuel and communications. It aims to prepare bases for a war that interrupts power and supplies.
The plans include portable nuclear reactors, large batteries and local electricity networks that can operate separately from the civilian grid. Bases would also hold reserves of supplies, including medicines and spare parts. For its most important needs, the military would require at least two reliable sources of supply or production.
Meanwhile, Britain launched its Be Ready campaign on 22 October, encouraging households to keep enough supplies for three days. Its checklist recommends three litres of drinking water per person per day and food that needs neither cooking nor refrigeration. It also includes torches, first-aid supplies and cash in case cash machines or card payments stop working.
Be Ready opens a three-year effort focused on severe weather and other emergencies. Britain has issued household emergency advice since May 2024. Neither government has said that a new war is about to begin, and it is not known whether the two efforts are coordinated.
