Summary
- Current U.S. bases in the Middle East are vulnerable to sustained Iranian attacks, reducing our ability to deter Iran.
- There is a need to reexamine and relocate bases further west towards countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, and Egypt.
- An approach known as “agile combat employment” involves relocating air assets to western bases in times of war to reduce vulnerability and increase effectiveness.
- The normalization of ties between Israel and Arab states presents an opportunity for new basing alternatives in the region.