The U.S. military is updating its preparations for a worst-case scenario, as rapid advancements in warfare and global threats have rendered old plans obsolete. Nowadays, there is the threat of drones, AI-powered weapons, cyber attacks, or attacks on the water supply or power grid. To be prepared for a catastrophic event that threatens the homeland, the Pentagon is reportedly developing a modern plan called Fortress. That is according to Fox News, which was briefed on some aspects of the plan. "The plan is likely to cost billions of dollars and take time to implement," says Fox's Jennifer Griffin.
The main component of the plan involves each U.S. military installation being able to function independently for up to 90 days. The idea is to prevent an attack from taking out the entire military command and control structure at once. "What the Pentagon is trying to do is to break this network mentality up, so that the U.S. military and all of its different components can fight separately if it has to," says Harry Kazianis, foreign policy expert and CEO of 19fortyfive.com.
"If God forbid, a swarm of drones attacks a military base or a swarm of AI agents takes out the network infrastructure, the entire military core won't be dismantled," he continues. "So I think this makes a lot of sense and it's pretty smart."
Other elements of the plan include portable nuclear reactors, backup power grids, and large reserves of ammunition and critical minerals. Kazianis believes the ability to maintain power, internet, and supplies are critical components of modern defense. "I think we need to understand we are in a totally new place when it comes to warfare," he tells KTRH. "It used to be the U.S. had the advantage with aircraft carriers, and submarines, and the best war fighters in the world. But now all you need is a data center and you can do a lot of damage."
"So especially when it comes to internet infrastructure, where everything is tied together, to be able to break those pieces apart and to fight wars or even fight in cyberspace in a decentralized manner is extremely important."
Photo: AFP