New threats pushing Air Force and Army to rethink approach to base defense

Pentagon officials are devising new plans to defend air bases worldwide—plans that prioritize collaboration across all the military services, rather than relying solely on the Army for protection. The growing threat of long-range missiles from China, along with the proliferation of drone swarms, has complicated the Army’s long-held mission to defend air bases. At the same time, the Air Force is building more small bases in the Indo-Pacific to reduce reliance on a handful of larg