WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) is examining new ways to protect military bases from low-cost drone attacks, including camouflage, decoy buildings, underground facilities and affordable drone interceptors. The review follows Iranian drone and missile attacks that damaged U.S. military installations across the Middle East.
According to a special notice issued by a senior Pentagon official and reported by The Intercept, the department is seeking technologies to reduce the visibility and vulnerability of military facilities.
Camouflage, Decoys and Underground Facilities
Proposals include advanced materials to reduce thermal and electromagnetic signatures, camouflage that blends facilities into surrounding terrain, and decoy buildings designed to divert attacks away from real targets.
The Pentagon is also exploring high-speed tunneling, rapidly constructed underground caverns, shock-isolated underground structures, decentralized energy grids, autonomous backup utilities, modular buildings and redesigned base layouts to maintain operations after attacks.
A Pentagon inspector general report found that Iranian strikes damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at U.S. bases across eight Middle Eastern countries: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.
Facilities affected included Navy installations in Manama, Bahrain, and the Combined Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which was severely damaged and rendered inoperable. Tankers and surveillance aircraft were also damaged or destroyed while parked at regional bases. A U.S. official estimated repair costs in the tens of millions of dollars, although the full figure remains classified.
Pentagon Evaluates Lower-Cost Drone Interceptors
Traditional air defense systems rely on interceptor missiles that can cost more than $13.5 million each. The Pentagon is evaluating small, Ukrainian-made drone interceptors capable of reaching 250 km/h, designed to destroy low-flying threats at a lower cost.
The department has also established Joint Interagency Task Force 401 to coordinate counter-small unmanned aircraft system efforts. Its layered defense approach includes nets, tensioned cables, camouflage, decoys, aircraft dispersal and expanded security perimeters.
Drone Threat Extends to Europe
Earlier in October, the U.S. military withdrew 12 B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom after intelligence indicated a possible Iranian drone attack targeting aircraft and personnel at the base. The reported plot was compared with Ukraine’s Operation Spider’s Web, which used small drones launched from vehicles near airfields to strike Russian strategic bombers.
In March, an Iranian drone struck RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, causing limited damage, while two other drones were shot down before reaching the facility. Iran has denied involvement in the reported plots near British bases.
The Pentagon’s review reflects a shift toward combining traditional air defenses with passive protection measures. Camouflage, underground facilities, decoys, dispersal and lower-cost interceptors are being considered to improve base survivability against inexpensive drones that can be deployed in large numbers.
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