Europe downsizing and moving east

Hegseth announces the “Next Great American Base”

Middle East location changes and hardening against strikes

Major subject at upcoming ALA Annual Conference

Facing changes coincide with major resale patron demographic shifts

Tyndall AFB rebuilding provides peek into the base of the future

Supply changes and costs and shifts for resale programs

Multi-Service food transformation changing the face at existing bases

Threats and new warfare portend major changes

Shifts to the Southern Hemisphere

Changes are coming to bases in Europe as the Trump Administration undertakes a “strategic assessment” that is aimed at shifting the primary responsibility for conventional defense to European NATO allies. And, as ALA has reported, the Administration is also eyeing the “Next Great American Base” in the United States.

It comes as major strategic changes are taking place as warfighting practices change and global conflicts and tensions prompt basing assessments.

“Conflicts, warfare evolution and other global dynamics are upsetting the basing status quo,” said Steve Rossetti, President of the American Logistics Association.

“The changes affect logistics and distribution practices for the resale and food supply chain and construction costs for military retailers as bases are closed and opened,” Rossetti said.

Rossetti pointed to a “fundamental Europe review that will most likely affect forces in central Europe, particularly Germany, where the Administration is targeting as many as 50,000.” “And now the Pentagon is looking to build new bases in the U.S. from the ground up, and other global dynamics and strategic reviews will change the way bases are located and shaped in the future.”

“Not only is the military demographic shifting under our feet with better pay, more consumer choice, and a better educated military; now bases are shifting under our feet,” Rossetti said.

Rossetti also noted shifts east in Europe, with both Poland and Lithuania making generous offers to the U.S. in terms of financial and other support to locate bases in these countries.

“We also are seeing a reassessment of bases in the Middle East and will most likely see bases reshaped and located further from harm’s way and greatly hardened against missile, terrorism and other strikes,” Rossetti said. Rossetti also pointed to the relocation of bomber aircraft from the U.K. following a terrorist incident.

The New York Times reports that in mid-September, U.S. military commanders received a dire warning from American and other Western intelligence agencies, according to U.S. officials briefed on the information: R.A.F. Fairford was the target of a potential Iran-backed attack.

After that warning last month, concern among officials across Europe surged. According to a senior U.S. official, Israel warned Germany that American bases there were at heightened risk, noting the Spangdahlem and Ramstein air bases in particular.

Next Great American Base

In the U.S., War Secretary Pete Hegseth last week invited governors and state military officials across the country to make their case for hosting a brand-new U.S. military installation—the first such major new base to be built in decades.

During his September 30 “State of the Force” address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth called on every governor to make their case for why they should locate the Next Great American Base.

“If your state wants the honor of hosting 15,000 to 25,000 of America’s great troops, show us why and how you’re going to do it—cutting through the red tape, offering up the land and rolling out the red carpet for our military families,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth described it as a “dynamic, self-sustaining power projection platform” with its own power generation, modern air defenses and advanced technology.

But exactly where such an installation could go remains unclear.

Katherine Kuzminski, director of studies at the Center for a New American Security, told Newsweek that one of the biggest questions is what Hegseth means by a “base.”

The U.S. military has service-specific installations as well as Joint bases, where multiple branches operate together. If the Pentagon intends to create a genuinely joint installation involving the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force, the list of potential locations becomes considerably narrower.

“If it’s a truly Joint base—and there’s an opportunity to bring together all five of the services that doesn’t currently exist,” Kuzminski said, “it will have to be a location that the Navy specifically can operate.”

That would favor coastal locations, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico, while a base involving only one or two services could potentially be built much farther inland.

Kuzminski said she also believes the Pentagon will be “looking for a community with a proven track record of support for military service, which may be a factor considered.”

One factor that Kuzminski said she hopes does not play a role, but fears it could, is the state’s politics.

“The decision should not in any way be based on partisan political leanings, though that may ultimately be a factor that is considered,” she said.

Based on those criteria, Kuzminski said six states stand out as locations that could fit different versions of Hegseth’s proposal: Texas, Louisiana, Florida, South Dakota and Wyoming.

The Pentagon’s ongoing Europe Force Posture Review is a six-month strategic assessment aimed at shifting the primary responsibility for conventional defense to European NATO allies. Spearheaded by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the U.S. could serve primarily as a nuclear guarantor, strategic backstop, and provider of high-end logistics and intelligence.

The Pentagon is currently preparing at least four distinct troop-level options for the Secretary of Defense. Intelligence and contingency scenarios suggest:

• Personnel Reductions: Anticipated drawdowns are expected to remove between 25,000 and 40,000 U.S. troops from the continent (out of roughly 80,000 total personnel currently stationed there).

• Targeted Regions: The cuts will primarily impact long-standing garrisons and deployments in Western and Central Europe, specifically Germany, Italy, Spain, Romania, and Estonia.

Beyond troop numbers, Washington plans to scale back high-value tactical machinery, which may include:

• Cutting the number of U.S. F-15 and F-16 fighter jets stationed in Europe from 150 down to approximately 100.

• Reducing maritime and anti-submarine aircraft from 26 down to 15.

• Relocating or canceling long-range strike capabilities and bomber deployments previously slated for Germany.

Shifting Resources to the Western Hemisphere

A major justification for pulling forces out of Europe is a strategic reallocation toward the Americas. Defense Secretary Hegseth indicated that freed-up European assets will be redeployed to Central and South America to support expanding counter-narcotics and security partnerships with countries like Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Panama.

It’s expected that basing posture worldwide will be more aligned with how the host nations behave on issues such as defense spending and overflight rights.

Standing up a U.S. base in Poland.

An upcoming U.S. military base in Poland will primarily consist of a major new permanent installation for U.S. Land Forces (Army), housing up to 15,000 total personnel, alongside the comprehensive modernization and expansion of four existing facilities.

The plan seeks up to 15,000 total troops. This will consist of 4,000 to 5,000 permanent personnel and 10,000 to 11,000 rotational troops. It will specifically serve as a permanent hub for U.S. Land Forces, creating a significant strategic deterrent on NATO’s eastern flank. The final site is being selected from two specific provinces in western Poland: Lower Silesia or Greater Poland. It’s estimated at up to $4.2 billion, which Poland has formally committed to funding entirely.

Separate from the new base project, the U.S. has approved a $504 million expansion and modernization of four existing bases where U.S. forces already rotate:

• Drawsko Pomorskie: Large-scale training area infrastructure upgrades.

• Powidz: Upgrades to the existing land forces and logistics base.

• Łask Air Base: Modernization of aviation infrastructure.

• Wrocław Air Base: Modernization of aviation and transport infrastructure.

These new plans build upon the Redzikowo Naval Base in northern Poland, which opened in 2024. It houses the Aegis Ashore missile defense system, a strictly defensive NATO missile shield designed to intercept ballistic threats.

The U.S. does not yet have a confirmed layout for a new base in Lithuania because the establishment of a permanent U.S. military base is currently only under consideration.

Following requests from Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Washington will “certainly look at” creating a permanent installation. While the official political decision and structural blueprint have not yet been finalized, the proposal relies on the following established framework:

• Lithuania Funding the Infrastructure: The Lithuanian government has formally offered to fully cover all construction and maintenance costs associated with building and hosting a permanent U.S. base.

• Transitioning Existing Rotational Forces: The base would likely serve to permanently transition the U.S. military presence that has operated on a 9-month rotating system since 2014. This footprint typically consists of two U.S. Army armored battalions totaling over 1,000 troops, equipped with M1 Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

• Potential Geographic Location: If approved, a permanent base would likely expand upon existing facilities at the Pabradė Training Area. This site already houses Camp Herkus, a temporary camp for U.S. troops that recently added newly modernized barracks and infrastructure to support long-term training capabilities on NATO’s eastern flank.

RAF Fairford, a U.K. military base that hosts U.S. Air Force aircraft, was placed under heightened security after a potential drone plot was uncovered in late September 2026. In response to the growing security concerns, the U.S. military abruptly relocated its entire fleet of 12 B-1B Lancers back to the United States on Oct. 4, 2026.

Food transformation to shape the base footprint

“Another major factor shaping bases in the future is food transformation,” Rossetti said. “Emerging food offerings will provide the troops more and better food, with some dining facilities ending up getting shuttered as the Army’s FEED program takes hold and troops get what they want when they want.” “General Mohan at the Army’s Materiel Command and AAFES are embarking on a program that unites technology, finance and food offerings to transform the way troops eat on base.” “This, coupled with the Air Force and Army Campus Style dining programs, will have a major effect on not only food programs but the way we look at base community-wide commerce offerings and consumer behavior,” he said.

Tyndall provides peek into the future

Rossetti said that “the total destruction of Tyndall Air Force Base by Hurricane Michael in 2018 triggered a paradigm shift in military infrastructure, turning a disaster into a blueprint for the “Installation of the Future.”

Backed by a $5 billion reconstruction initiative, the Department of Defense is using Tyndall as a prototype to reinvent how the armed forces design, build, and defend operational hubs. Moving away from legacy construction, every structure is engineered to withstand 165 mph hurricane-force winds and elevated to defend against severe coastal storm surges.

Beyond structural durability, Tyndall serves as a living laboratory for next-generation smart base infrastructure and advanced technological integration. The centerpiece of this digital revolution is the base’s “Digital Twin”—a real-time, virtual replica paired with VR Hololabs that allows commanders to instantly monitor facility health, manage automated power grids, and simulate emergency responses. Combined with autonomous security sensors and highly centralized, data-driven facility management, Tyndall moves military basing away from passive infrastructure and toward active, interconnected weapon systems. As defense planners face escalating threats from both geopolitical adversaries and volatile climate conditions, Tyndall’s prototype model offers a masterclass in building highly adaptable, technologically superior military installations capable of thriving in tomorrow’s combat environments.

 

 

 

A Tyndall AFB advertisement on the community services offerings including a new lodge, Community Commons 1 Building: with a new bowling center, dining options including P.F. Chang’s and BurgerFi; and Community Commons 2: housing the new library, arts & crafts center, and community center. 

 

 

 

 

“Tyndall Air Force Base’s prototype model extends far beyond hardened hangars and runway asphalt; it completely dismantles the isolated, industrial design of legacy military installations in favor of a pedestrian-centric, community-first ecosystem. Defense planners approached the rebuild with the guiding principle that Quality of Life is directly tied to mission readiness,” Rossetti said. “The newly unveiled master plan groups primary support structures into a highly connected, walkable district. Right down the street from the commissary, exchange, and fitness center, the base features its sprawling, multi-complex Community Commons. This central hub consolidates active dining spaces—boasting new restaurants like P.F. Chang’s and BurgerFi—with a modernized bowling center, public library, arts and crafts facility, and a multi-use community center designed to deliberately break down operational siloes and bring military families together.”

At the heart of this human-centric design are two state-of-the-art, $145+ million enlisted Airmen dormitories that reject standard barracks monotony. Built to house up to 480 first-term personnel, these five-story complexes feature individual private suites arranged around shared premium amenities. Rather than being isolated in their rooms, Airmen have immediate access to standard-shattering additions: massive communal kitchens, fully equipped in-house movie theater rooms, and panoramic rooftop decks overlooking the base.

This emphasis on recreation extends to the natural Florida landscape, where a brand-new waterfront marina featuring a rooftop bar, outdoor recreation office, pristine baseball/softball fields, and a newly opened community pool have completely restored morale.