The United States operates a vast network of military installations across Europe, serving as a crucial foundation for NATO operations, regional deterrence, and global power projection. This is now under review by the US administration.
On April 8, General Christopher Cavoli, Commander of US European Command (EUCOM), told a Congressional committee that Europe is “the first line of defense of our homeland.”
Retired US commanding officers, including fellows at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), spelled out the arguments in a series of interviews. They said that European bases are about much more than just Europe and that such military facilities are hard to recover once they’re lost.
It is not yet clear what the Pentagon plans, and the adjustments could range from moderate to extensive. At the furthest end of possible options, the officers said the effects would be very serious. Admiral (Ret.) James Foggo said enemies would see base closures and troop withdrawals as signposting a downgrading of the US from global to regional power status; Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ben Hodges said Russia would judge the US can’t protect Europe, or no longer cares; Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Stephen Twitty said it would mean a substantial loss of strategic depth and indicate the US is walking away from peace and security on the continent; and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Skip Davis said any major pull-out would make US power projection slower, costlier, and less effective.
From tracking Russian submarines in the Atlantic to enabling rapid response capability in the Middle East and Africa to providing early warning of ballistic missile strikes to electronic eavesdropping and intelligence operations, US forces in Europe support missions that extend well beyond the continent.
The Pentagon says it’s currently taking “a hard look” at where forces are stationed. On April 9, it was announced that the US would cut costs by moving most of its personnel from Jasionka in southeastern Poland, the main logistics base for arms shipments to Ukraine. Meanwhile, NBC News reported on April 8 that up to 10,000 US troops would be withdrawn from Poland and Romania.
As of early 2025, there were roughly 84,000 US service members across the United States European Command (EUCOM) area of responsibility, including troops deployed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
This included what are termed 31 persistent bases and 18 other military sites to which the Department of Defense (DoD) has access in Europe, encompassing air bases, naval stations, army garrisons, missile defense systems, and surveillance hubs.
Ramstein is the primary US Air Force base in Europe and the headquarters for US Air Forces in Europe–Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). It is a major transportation hub, supporting US military operations across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The base is a key control center for drone operations worldwide, providing drone data and communications links, a role that has drawn controversy and legal challenges regarding its use in the War on Terror.
Ramstein hosts over 16,200 US military personnel, civilians, and contractors and is part of the Kaiserslautern Military Community, the largest American military population overseas, totaling 56,000 personnel. Established in 1953, it is a permanent US military installation in Germany.
RAF Lakenheath is a significant US Air Force base in the UK and home to the 48th Fighter Wing, tasked with providing combat airpower worldwide. It has played a key role in combat operations in the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and was a launchpad for the 1986 bombing of Libya.
The base hosts approximately 5,177 active-duty US military personnel and 2,700 British and US civilians, with additional units at RAF Feltwell. Owned by the UK Ministry of Defense, it has been operated by the United States Air Force since 1948.
RAF Mildenhall, together with its sister base at Lakenheath, hosts the largest United States Air Force presence in the United Kingdom. It is home to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, the only permanent US air refueling wing in the European theater. From this hub, US forces conduct missions across Europe, the Arctic, Africa, and the Black Sea. Because of its strategic location and rapid deployment capabilities, the base has contributed to major campaigns, including the Kosovo War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War.
The base hosts approximately 3,000 active-duty military members. Owned by the UK Ministry of Defense, it has been operated by the United States Air Force since 1959.
Aviano Air Base supports the only US fighter wing south of the Alps and is a key NATO air power hub in southern Europe. It is home to the 31st Fighter Wing, supporting US air combat missions, including offensive, defensive, surveillance, and combat search and rescue operations. In 2024, a new Army Power Projection Facility was added to enable the rapid deployment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade to contingency missions across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Aviano has supported major US operations, including Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Odyssey Dawn, the US contribution to the 2011 NATO-led intervention in Libya.
The base hosts approximately 10,000 individuals, including US military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, local national employees, and dependents. It is a permanent US installation, operating under a bilateral agreement with Italy since 1954.
Incirlik Air Base is critical for US military operations, particularly in the Middle East, with aviation facilities and rotational aerial refueling capabilities. It has played a crucial role in US and coalition military campaigns, serving as the launch point for combat missions over Northern Iraq during the First Gulf War and later supporting US-led operations in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom. It has also been heavily used in counterterrorism missions, including operations against ISIS, and enables a rapid US military response in the region.
The base hosts approximately 1,465 US military personnel and 365 civilian employees, totaling around 1,830 US-affiliated personnel. However, Incirlik is not a permanent US base, it remains Turkish-owned and operated with US non-NATO operations dependent on Turkish government approval. The US has maintained a presence there since the 1950s.
Mihael Kogălniceanu Air Base is a major and fast-growing hub for US and NATO forces, supporting deployments to the Black Sea, Middle East, and Africa. It has been a staging area for US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The base currently hosts over 1,800 US personnel and is undergoing significant expansion. Work began last year and is slated to cost $2.7bn, with the base reportedly becoming NATO’s biggest European facility by 2030, with the capacity to host 10,000 soldiers and civilians.
NSA Naples hosts US Naval Forces Europe and Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) headquarters and the US Sixth Fleet, allowing for coordination of US naval operations across Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean.
The base hosts more than 50 commands and is staffed by approximately 8,500 personnel. It is a permanent US military installation, operating under a long-standing agreement with Italy, and a key hub for maritime security and power projection in the region.
Often hailed as “The Hub of the Med”, NAS Sigonella is a significant logistics and operational facility for US forces in the Mediterranean, particularly for the Sixth Fleet. The facility supports intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The base also provides rapid response capabilities and logistical support for US operations across three continents.
It hosts a US-affiliated population of approximately 4,555 personnel, including 2,173 active-duty service members. Established in 1959, NAS Sigonella is a permanent US military installation, operating under a long-standing agreement with the Italian government.
Naval Station Rota is a major logistics hub for US and NATO forces, providing cargo, fuel, and support to naval vessels and military units transiting the region. It hosts four US destroyers equipped with Aegis Baseline 9 Ballistic Missile Defense systems, forming a key component of EUCOM’s regional missile defense strategies.
It houses a US-affiliated community of approximately 6,450 personnel, including active-duty service members, families, US civilian employees, and retired military personnel. Owned by the Spanish Ministry of Defense, the US military has continuously used the base since its construction in 1953.
Located at the crossroads of US European Command (EUCOM), Africa Command (AFRICOM), and Central Command (CENTCOM), NSA Souda Bay in Crete is home to the only deep-water pier in the Mediterranean capable of accommodating US Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, making it a key logistics and refueling site.
In addition to its naval operations, Souda Bay supports US Air Force and Navy reconnaissance aircraft, contributing to global intelligence-gathering and surveillance missions.
The base hosts approximately 1,000 personnel, including active-duty service members, US civilian employees, contractors, and local national staff. NSA Souda Bay is a permanent US naval support installation in Greece, operating under a long-term bilateral agreement.
USAG Vicenza is home to the headquarters of the US Army Garrison Italy. It hosts the 173rd Airborne Brigade combat team that serves as a crisis-response force for European, African, and Middle Eastern locations.
As of 2012, the facility had over 11,000 active-duty, civilian personnel, and family members. The military complex has been a permanent US Army facility since 1952.
USAG Stuttgart is a strategic command hub for US military operations across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The garrison hosts several key headquarters, including the US European Command (USEUCOM), US Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa (MARFOREUR/AF), and the Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR). As a vital command and control center, it supports US military coordination across 51 countries.
The Stuttgart military community includes more than 25,000 military personnel, civilians, and family members. It is a permanent military installation.
The first US installation in Poland, NSF Redzikowo, is home to an Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense System. The base’s mission is part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA), established in 2009 to counter potential ballistic missile threats from the Middle East, particularly Iran.
The facility hosts approximately 355 US service members and civilian personnel. Operational since 2024, the base is a permanent US military installation, operated under a bilateral agreement between the US and Poland.
Operational since 2016, NSF Deveselu is home to an Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense System.
The base comprises approximately 200 personnel, and is a permanent US military installation, operating under the Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement between the US and Romania.
RAF Fylingdales is a critical component of the US-UK Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, tasked with monitoring space activities and targeting missile interceptors if needed.
The base hosts approximately 320 personnel, including military staff, Ministry of Defence Police, civil servants, and contractors. While under the authority of UK Space Command, RAF Fylingdales also operates as part of Space Delta 4, a US Space Force unit responsible for strategic and theater missile warning.
RAF Menwith Hill is a key intelligence and satellite communications facility, jointly operated by the US and the UK. It is controlled by the US National Security Agency (NSA) and is the largest overseas intelligence-gathering site outside the US. The base undertakes surveillance and intelligence gathering for drones and other military operations. It also supports the US Ballistic Missile Defense program as a downlink station for space-based components. Menwith Hill is a permanent US military and intelligence installation.
The northernmost overseas US base, the Pituffik Space Base, is a critical component of the US’s missile warning and space surveillance network, providing early detection of ballistic missile launches. It is operated by the 821st Space Base Group and is also home to the world’s northernmost deepwater seaport.
The facility hosts about 150 US Air Force and Space Force personnel. Formerly known as Thule Air Base, it is a permanent US military installation and has been in continuous operation since its construction in 1951, following a defense agreement between Denmark and the United States.
The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) is the largest overseas American medical facility, serving more than 205,000 people throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It is the primary medical evacuation center for wounded US and coalition troops.
The center operates alongside six additional clinics in Germany, Italy, and Belgium, jointly staffed by more than 2,000 staff. It is a permanent US military medical installation.
Mila Tanghe attended Columbia University and is currently an Intern with the Editorial team at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).
Europe’s Edge is CEPA’s online journal covering critical topics on the foreign policy docket across Europe and North America. All opinions expressed on Europe’s Edge are those of the author alone and may not represent those of the institutions they represent or the Center for European Policy Analysis. CEPA maintains a strict intellectual independence policy across all its projects and publications.
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