U.S. Air Force Launches Initiative to Host Private AI Data Centers on Military Bases
December 3, 2025
The U.S. Department of the Air Force has initiated a landmark program to lease thousands of acres of underutilized land at five of its bases to private companies for the construction of large-scale artificial intelligence data centers. This move underscores the growing national priority to rapidly expand the computational infrastructure critical for AI development and maintain U.S. competitiveness in the field.
According to a solicitation posted online in October, the Air Force is seeking proposals from private firms to develop land at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) in Tennessee, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, Edwards Air Force Base in California, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, and Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. The initiative is a direct response to Executive Orders issued in January and July of 2025 aimed at accelerating the nation's adoption of AI technology. The orders specifically tasked the Defense Department with identifying suitable sites on military installations for data center infrastructure and leasing them competitively.
Robert Morieaty, the Air Force’s deputy assistant secretary for installations, emphasized the strategic importance of the plan, stating, “AI is transforming the modern world and these data centers are crucial for America to remain at the forefront of innovation.” To qualify, proposed projects must represent a significant investment, requiring more than 100 megawatts of new power load and involving a capital investment of at least $500 million. At AEDC, for instance, two sites are on offer: a 122-acre parcel off Highway 55 and a larger 152-acre site off Wattendorf Memorial Highway.
The Air Force set a deadline of November 14 for companies to submit their proposals and is expected to make its selection or selections in January of next year. This public-private partnership model represents a significant shift in how the Pentagon approaches infrastructure, leveraging its substantial land assets to fuel private-sector technological advancement. The program could potentially channel billions in private investment into secure, federally owned locations, creating a new paradigm for siting the massive, power-intensive facilities required for next-generation computing.
Source: thelynchburgtimes
