From Qatar to UAE: Inside US’ strategic bases in the Gulf
New Delhi: The US maintains a wide network of military bases across the Gulf region, serving as critical hubs for operations under US Central Command (CENTCOM), according to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.
In Qatar, the sprawling 24-hectare Al Udeid Air Base outside Doha functions as CENTCOM’s forward headquarters and houses around 10,000 troops. Qatar has recently extended the agreement allowing the US use for another decade. The base hosts surveillance aircraft, KC-135 Stratotankers, C-17A Globemasters, C-130H Hercules, Patriot missile defence systems and AN/TPY-2 X-band radar. Camp As Sayliyah has also been used since 2022 as a processing centre for Afghans seeking resettlement.
In Bahrain, the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet operates from the kingdom’s Naval Support Activity installation, a partnership dating back to 1948 when the base was under British control. The deep-water port can accommodate US aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. Assets stationed there include mine countermeasures ships, an Expeditionary Support Base ship, logistical support vessels, P-8 Poseidon and EP-3E Aries II aircraft, as well as Patriot missile defence systems. The US Coast Guard maintains six fast response cutters in the kingdom. The site hosts about 9,000 service members and Department of Defense civilians.
Kuwait hosts multiple US installations, including Camp Arifjan, the forward headquarters of US Army Central (ARCENT) under CENTCOM. Ali al-Salem Air Base is home to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, described as the primary airlift hub for delivering combat power. Capabilities include MQ-9 drones and combat airlift operations. The largest US air logistics facility in the region operates at Kuwait International Airport, while Camp Buehring serves as a staging post for troops deploying to Iraq and Syria.
In the UAE, Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi hosts the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, comprising 10 aircraft squadrons and MQ-9 Reaper drones. The base supports airborne early warning and control aircraft, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, and tanker refuelling aircraft. It also houses the Gulf Air Warfare Center, which trains about 2,000 participants annually. UAE ports, including Jebel Ali in Dubai, provide logistical support to US naval vessels. In Saudi Arabia, Prince Sultan Air Base hosts the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing, supporting approximately 2,200 airmen and soldiers, alongside Patriot and THAAD missile defence systems. The White House said in June 2024 that more than 2,300 US military personnel are stationed in the kingdom, primarily at the base.
