Assessing Progress on Air Base Defense: Past Investments and Future Options

The growing missile threat in the Pacific region has led the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to assess air base defense. In this report, RAND researchers examine how the services have invested in air base defense and what these investments suggest about commitments to defending air bases. They also provide recommendations for how the USAF can prioritize air base defense moving forward, specifically focusing on the Indo-Pacific Command theater.