Kuwait seeks U.S. support for airbase makeover

The U.S. State Department has approved Kuwait for a possible Foreign Military Sale of support for facilities and infrastructure construction.

The proposed deal, reported to Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, would be worth about $319 million.

According to DSCA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its contractors would conduct the work, which would cover the areas of design, construction, procurement of key airfield operations, command and control, readiness, sustainment, and life-support facilities.

Included would be the construction of an operations center, hangars, training facilities, barracks, warehouses, and support facilities at Kuwait's Al Mubarak Airbase.

"The facilities being constructed are similar to other facilities built in the past by USACE in other Middle Eastern countries," the agency said in a press release. "These facilities replace existing facilities and will provide autonomous airbase operations to the Kuwait Air Force."

"The new airbase will ensure the continued readiness of the Kuwait Air Force and allow for the continued education of current and future Kuwait Air Force personnel," agency officials added.