US defense officials said the US military command responsible for the Middle East and Iran is developing plans to build a new military test facility in Saudi Arabia.
network quotes”NBCThe US News Agency, citing three US defense officials familiar with these plans, said the facility will test new technologies to combat the growing threat from drones and develop and test air and missile defense capabilities.
The network added that the plans, supervised by the US Central Command (Centcom), include naming the new facility the “Red Sands Integrated Experiment Center”, similar to the “White Sands” center in New Mexico dedicated to long-range missile tests.
While the location of the site has not yet been finalized, officials said Saudi Arabia is the most likely location, because it has vast government-owned open spaces, as well as the ability to test various methods of electronic warfare, such as jamming communications and directed energy without affecting centers. nearby population.
A US defense official said the plans were an “opportunity” given Saudi Arabia “as the center of gravity for many future regional security endeavors.”
The network reported that the commander of the US Central Command, General Michael Corella, proposed the idea in a meeting with a number of US allies in the region last month.
A US official familiar with the discussions said the idea had “overwhelming support.”
These plans, which are being talked about, come in light of the increasing level of security cooperation between Arab countries and Israel against Iran, which has built a huge arsenal of ballistic missiles and a fleet of drones in recent years, according to the network.
Regional allies and the US military are concerned about missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen that have targeted oil facilities and other infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
During US President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East last July, US officials touted the possibility that regional governments would cooperate to bolster their missile defenses.
Two US defense officials said the United States would likely fund about 20 percent of the project’s cost and provide about 20 percent of the workforce, while the rest would be covered by allies. They added that there is still no estimate of the final cost of the project.
A US official stated that the idea aims to “bring many countries together in pragmatic security arrangements,” in conjunction with the new direction of the commander of the US Central Command, General Michael Corella, to shift the leadership’s focus from a large military presence in the region to an interest in strengthening partnerships.
The two defense officials said there was no specific timetable for when work would begin on the Red Sands facility, but it was unlikely before the end of 2022.
These plans have not been officially announced by the United States or Saudi Arabia.
The network indicated that a spokesman for the US Central Command refused to comment on specific details about the plan.