List of countries with overseas military bases

The establishment of military bases abroad enables a country to project power, e.g. to conduct expeditionary warfare, and thereby influence events abroad. Depending on their size and infrastructure, they can be used as staging areas or for logistical, communications and intelligence support. Many conflicts throughout modern history have resulted in overseas military bases being established in large numbers by world powers and the existence of bases abroad has served countries having them in achieving political and military goals. The British Empire and other colonial powers established overseas military bases in many of their colonies during the First and Second World Wars, where useful, and actively sought rights to facilities where needed for strategic reasons. At one time, establishing coaling stations for naval ships was important. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union established military bases where they could within their respective spheres of influence, and actively sought influence where needed. More recently, the War on Terror has resulted in overseas military bases being established in the Middle East.

Whilst the overall number of overseas military bases has fallen since 1945, the United States, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Russia and France still possess or utilize a substantial number. Smaller numbers of overseas military bases are operated by India, Iran, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

The United States is the largest operator of military bases abroad, with 38 "named bases"[note 1] having active duty, national guard, reserve or civilian personnel as of September 30, 2014. Its largest, in terms of personnel, was Ramstein AB in Germany, with almost 9,200 personnel.[1][note 2]

•  Malaysia – Butterworth Air Base is used for Australia's commitment to the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).[2] In addition, the Australian Army maintains an infantry company (designated Rifle Company Butterworth) at Butterworth for training purposes.
•  United Arab Emirates – Al Minhad Air Base used for Australian operations in the Middle East.

•  Argentina – A base in the province of Neuquén in Patagonia. Land loaned to the Chinese government during Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s presidency. Activities in the base are unknown. China claims it is for space exploration and intelligence services.[3]
•  Djibouti – Chinese People's Liberation Army Support Base in Djibouti
•  Myanmar – A naval SIGINT facility in the Great Coco Island.[4]
•  Tajikistan – A military post in South-eastern Gorno-Badakhshan.[5]

•  Djibouti – Les forces françaises stationnées à Djibouti (FFDj)[6][7]
•  United Arab Emirates – Forces de présence aux Emirats arabes unis[6][7]
•  Ivory Coast – Les forces françaises en Côte d'Ivoire (FFCI)[6][7]
•  Gabon – Les éléments français au Gabon (EFG)[6][7]
•  Senegal – Les éléments français au Sénégal (EFS)[6][7]
•  Germany – Franco-German Brigade in Müllheim and a Eurocopter Tiger training center at Faßberg Air Base
•  Lebanon – Dayr Kifa Air Force Base as part of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
•  Mali – Several facilities in the country as part of Operation Barkhane
•  Chad – N'Djamena Air Force Base as part of Operation Barkhane
•  Niger – Niamey Air Force Base as part of Operation Barkhane
•  Syria – At least three bases near Kobanî, Sarrin and Ayn Issa[8] as part of Opération Chammal
•  Iraq – Forces in Baghdad as part of Opération Chammal
•  Jordan – Prince Hassan Air Base as part of Opération Chammal

•  France – Franco-German Brigade in Illkirch-Graffenstaden near Strasbourg and a Eurocopter Tiger training center in Le Cannet-des-Maures
•  United States – Aircraft training facilities at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico and at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida. (training base)[9]

•  Cyprus – Hellenic Force in Cyprus

•  Tajikistan – Farkhor Air Base is operated by the Indian Air Force and Tajik Air Force.[10][11]
•  Bhutan – The Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) is permanently stationed in western Bhutan.[12]
•  Madagascar – A listening post and a radar facility in northern Madagascar.[13]
•  Mauritius – A coast surveillance radar system deployed and maintained by India.[14] As of June 2017, the current status of all these projects is unclear.[15]
•  Seychelles – A coast surveillance radar system deployed and maintained by India.[14][16]
•  Oman – A listening post at Ras al Hadd and berthing rights for the Indian Navy at Muscat naval base.[17] An establishment at Duqm for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. Duqm had previously served as a port for the INS Mumbai.[18]

•  Syria – A military base near Al-Kiswah,[19] Abu Kamal and several facilities in 3 different governorates[20]
•  Iraq – Several military installations and facilities in Baghdad, Al Anbar and Saladin Governorate.
•  Lebanon – A military training facility near Beit Moubarak.[21]

•  Eritrea – a listening station on the Mt. Emba Soira, as well as docks in the Dahlak Archipelago.[22]
•  Syria – Machne Yarden, Camp Filon and Camp Yitzhak in the occupied Golan Heights.[23]

•  United Arab Emirates – Air Task Force (TFA) in Al Minhad Air Base.[24]
•  Djibouti – Base Militare Nazionale di Supporto (BMNS), National Military Support Base.[25][26]
•  Afghanistan – Herat[27]
•  Kuwait – Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base[28]
•  Libya – Ghat, Libya[29]
•  United States – Sheppard Air Force Base (training base),[29] Eglin Air Force Base (training base)[30]

•  Djibouti – Japan Self-Defense Force Base Djibouti[31]

•  Aruba - One squadron of the Netherlands Marine Corps is permanently stationed on Aruba. [32]

•  Curaçao - There is always a Royal Netherlands Army detachment present at Curaçao. The Royal Netherlands Navy has the logistic support ship Pelikaan (A804) stationed at Curaçao, often accompanied by a De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate, a Karel Doorman-class frigate or a Holland-class offshore patrol vessel.[32]

•  United States – Netherlands Detachment Tucson Arizona (training base)[33]

•  Saudi Arabia – 1,180 personnel in Tabuk and other bases in permanent training and advisory roles, under a 1982 agreement.[34][35][36][37]

Countries with Russian military bases, facilities and troops.

•  Azerbaijan – 15th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade peacekeeping force deployed in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 10 November 2020
•  Armenia – Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri and the Russian 3624th Airbase in Erebuni Airport near Yerevan
•  Belarus – Hantsavichy Radar Station; Vileyka naval communication centre
•  Central African Republic – Confirmed to be building a Russian Military base[38]
•  Georgia – Russian 4th Military Base in the disputed frozen conflict regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia (Russian 7th Military Base)[39]
•  Egypt – Confirmed to be building a Russian Military base[38]
•  Eritrea – Logistics Center confirmed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.[40][41][42][38]
•  Kazakhstan – Balkhash Radar Station; Sary Shagan range; Baikonur Cosmodrome
•  Kyrgyzstan – Kant Air Base, the 338th naval communication centre, the 954th torpedo testing range and a seismograph
•  Madagascar – Confirmed to be building a Russian Military base[38]
•  Moldova – Russia maintains a sizeable task force in the unrecognised state of Transnistria which split off from Moldova after the dissolution of the USSR, for peacekeeping purposes and guarding the decommissioned arms depot at Cobasna.[43]
•  Mozambique – Confirmed to be building a Russian Military base[38]
•  Sudan – Confirmed to be building a military base along the Red Sea Coast,[38] near Port Sudan[44]
•  Syria – Russian naval facility in Tartus; Khmeimim Air Base,[45] Shayrat Airbase
•  Tajikistan – 201st Military Base
•  Ukraine – Operational base of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, in annexed Crimea

•  Bahrain - Saudi Arabian military presence in Bahrain since the Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain in 2011 as part of the Peninsula Shield Force - the military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The units sent from Saudi Arabia included 1,000 (1,200)[46] troops along with 150 vehicles. Saudi Arabian soldiers were apparently from the Saudi Arabian National Guard, commanded by a son of King Abdullah, Prince Miteb.[47]

•  Djibouti – Military base in Djibouti.[48][49][50]

•  Eritrea – Military base in Assab used for Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.[51]

•  Yemen – Several military bases and facilitie in Al Mahrah, Hadhramaut, Ma'rib, Abyan, Al Hudaydah, Taiz governorates.[52]

•  Australia – Flying Training School (No. 130 Squadron) (training base);[53] Oakey Army Aviation Centre (training base)[54]
•  Brunei – Jalan Aman Camp;
•  United States – Mountain Home Air Force Base (training base);[55] Luke Air Force Base (training base)[56]

•  United States – Luke Air Force Base (training base)

Countries with Turkish military bases, facilities and troops.

•  Albania – 20 to 250 troops in Vlorë naval base, with 2 frigates.[57]
•  Azerbaijan – Buildings and structures in Gizil Sherg military town, and one terminal building located in the airfield in Hacı Zeynalabdin settlement.[58] Also another base to monitor peacekeeping in Karabakh.[59]
•  Iraq – A base with 2000 personnel.[60] Turkey has more than 20 military and intelligence bases in two provinces of Erbil and Dohuk of Iraqi Kurdistan.[61]
•  Libya – Airbases at al-Watiya, Mitiga and Misrata, in addition to Zwara.[62]
•  Cyprus/ Northern Cyprus - A total of 30.000 armed forces of the Republic of Turkey are currently in active duty Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command
•  Qatar – A base with 5000 personnel.[63][64][65][66]
•  Somalia – Camp TURKSOM with 200 personnel (could increase to over 1000).[67][68]
•  Syria – Bases in Al-Bab, Al-Rai, Akhtarin and Jarablus with at least 5k personnel. New bases were followed at Atme and Darat Izza.[69]

•  Eritrea – Military base in Assab used for intervention in Yemen.[70][71][72]
•  Libya – A forward operating base at the Al-Khadim Airport, near Marj.[73][74]
•  Somaliland (Somalia)– Military base in the Port of Berbera.[75]
•  Yemen – Partial military base in the island of Socotra.[76][77]

Some major military bases and facilities of the United Kingdom.

•  Afghanistan – Various facilities under Operation Toral
•  Bahrain – HMS Jufair Naval Base (HMNBJ)[78][79]
•  Belize – British Army Training and Support Unit Belize[80]
•  Brunei – British Forces Brunei: Brunei Garrison[81]
•  Canada – British Army Training Unit Suffield[82]
•  Republic of Cyprus – British Forces Cyprus
•  Estonia – UK led Battlegroup in Tapa: NATO Enhanced Forward Presence[83][84]
•  Germany – British Army Germany: Westfalen Garrison[85]
•  Iraq – Al Asad Airbase[86]
•  Kenya – British Army Training Unit Kenya[87]
•    Nepal – British Gurkhas Nepal (Pokhara Camp, Dharan Station)[88][89]
•  Norway – Bardufoss Air Station[90]
•  Singapore – British Defence Singapore Support Unit and Naval Party 1022[7][91]
•  Qatar – RAF Al Udeid[92]
•  Oman – Omani-British Joint Training Area and the UK Joint Logistics Support Base
•  United Arab Emirates – Al Minhad Air Base
•  United States – MCAS Beaufort (training base),[93][94] Creech Air Force Base,[95][96] Edwards Air Force Base,[97][98] Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay (Trident Facility)[99][100][101]

Overseas Territories:

•  Akrotiri and Dhekelia – RAF Akrotiri, RAF Troodos, Ayios Nikolaos Station, Dhekelia Cantonment, Episkopi Cantonment, Alexander Barracks, Nightingale Barracks, Dhekelia Airfield
•  Ascension Island – RAF Ascension Island[102]
•  Bermuda – Warwick Camp[103]
•  British Indian Ocean Territory – Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia
•  Cayman Islands – Cayman Islands Regiment[104]
•  Falkland Islands – RAF Mount Pleasant, RAF Mount Alice, RAF Byron Heights, RAF Mount Kent, Mare Harbour[105][106]
•  Gibraltar – British Forces Gibraltar (RAF Gibraltar, Devil's Tower Camp)[107][108]
•  Montserrat – Royal Montserrat Defence Force, Possible location for future base[109]
•  Turks and Caicos Islands – Turks and Caicos Regiment

This list is incomplete.

Countries with United States military bases and facilities. Many US bases are also NATO-led with forces from multiple countries present (partially incomplete)

•  Afghanistan – Camp Dwyer; Forward Operating Base Delhi; Forward Operating Base Geronimo; Firebase Fiddler's Green
•  Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK) – RAF Akrotiri
•  Aruba (Netherlands) – Queen Beatrix International Airport
•  Ascension (UK) – Ascension Island Auxiliary Airfield
•  Australia – Pine Gap; Marine Rotational Force – Darwin[110]
•  Bahamas – AUTEC
•  Bahrain – Naval Support Activity Bahrain; Isa Air Base
•  Belgium – Chièvres Air Base; Kleine Brogel Air Base
•  Bosnia and Herzegovina – Camp Eagle
•  Brazil – United States Naval Support Detachment, São Paulo
•  British Indian Ocean Territory (United Kingdom) – Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia
•  Bulgaria – Aitos Logistics Center; Bezmer Air Base; Graf Ignatievo Air Base; Novo Selo Range
•  Cuba – Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
•  Cameroon – Contingency Location Garoua
•  Curaçao (Netherlands) – US Air Force Forward Operating Base
•  Djibouti – Camp Lemonnier
•  Ecuador – Eloy Alfaro International Airport
•  Egypt – Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences
•  Estonia – Ämari Air Base
•  Germany – US Military Installations in Germany; Panzer Kaserne; Ramstein Air Base; Spangdahlem Air Base; Baumholder Army Post; Landstuhl Regional Medical Center; Sembach Army Post;
•  Greece – Naval Support Activity Souda Bay[111]
•  Greenland (Denmark) – Thule Air Base
•  Honduras – Soto Cano Air Base
•  Hungary – Pápa Air Base
•  Iceland – Naval Air Station Keflavik
•  Indonesia – Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences
•  Iraq – Al Asad Airbase[112] and several facilities in 7 different governorates
•  Israel – Dimona Radar Facility
•  Italy – Caserma Ederle-Caserma Del Din; Darby Military Community; Naval Air Station Sigonella; Naval Support Activity Naples; Aviano Air Base
•  Japan – United States Forces Japan
•  Jordan – Muwaffaq Salti Air Base
•  Kenya - Camp Simba, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences
•  Kosovo[lower-alpha 1] (disputed by Serbia) – Camp Bondsteel
•  Kuwait – Ali Al Salem Air Base; Camp Arifjan; Camp Buehring; Kuwait Naval Base
•  Netherlands – Volkel Air Base; USCG Activities Europe
•  Niger – Niger Air Base 201
•  Norway – Marine Corps garrison at Værnes Air Station
•  Oman – RAFO Masirah; RAFO Thumrait (South of Oman) [113]
•  Peru – Naval Medical Research Unit Six
•  Philippines – Antonio Bautista Air Base; Basa Air Base; Fort Magsaysay; Lumbia Air Base; Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base[114]
•  Poland – Łask Air Base
•  Portugal – Lajes Field
•  Qatar – Al Udeid Air Base
•  Romania – Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport; Deveselu
•  Seychelles – United States drone base in Seychelles
•  Singapore – Paya Lebar Air Base
•  South Korea – United States Forces Korea
•  Spain – Morón Air Base; Naval Station Rota
•  Syria – Military base in Al-Tanf and several facilities in northern Syria, within US-backed SDF territory[115]
•  Thailand – Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences
•  Tunisia – Drone base at Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base[116][117]
•  Turkey – Incirlik Air Base, Izmir Air Station, Kürecik Radar Station, Ankara Support Facility
•  United Arab Emirates – Al Dhafra Air Base; Port of Jebel Ali; Fujairah Naval Base
•  United Kingdom – RAF Alconbury; RAF Croughton; RAF Fairford; RAF Lakenheath; RAF Menwith Hill; RAF Mildenhall

• Power projection