10 U.S.C. § 9773: Acquisition and construction: installations and depots

The Secretary of the Air Force shall determine the sites of such additional permanent Air Force and Space Force military installations and depots in all strategic areas of the United States and the Commonwealths, possessions, and holdings as he considers necessary. He shall determine when the enlargement of existing installations and depots is necessary for the effective peacetime training of the Air Force or the Space Force. the Atlantic northeast, for training in cold weather and in fog; the Atlantic southeast and Caribbean areas, for training in long-range operations, especially those incident to reinforcing the defenses of the Panama Canal; the southeastern United States, to provide a depot necessary to maintain the Air Force; the Pacific northwest, to establish and maintain air communication with Alaska; Alaska, for training under conditions of extreme cold; the Rocky Mountain area, to provide a depot necessary to maintain the Air Force, and for training in operations from fields in high altitudes; and other regions, for the establishment of intermediate installations to provide for transcontinental movements of the Air Force or Space Force for maneuvers. to form the nucleus for concentration of Air Force or Space Force units in time of war; to permit, in time of peace, training and effective planning in each strategic area for the use and expansion of commercial, municipal, and private flying installations in time of war; to locate, in each strategic area in which it is considered necessary, adequate storage facilities for munitions and other articles necessary to facilitate the movement, concentration, maintenance, and operation of the Air Force or the Space Force; and to afford the maximum warning against surprise attack by enemy aircraft upon aviation of the United States and its necessary installations consistent with maintaining, in connection with existing or contemplated landing fields, the full power of the Air Force or the Space Force for operations necessary in the defense of the United States, and in the defense and reinforcement of the Commonwealths, possessions, and holdings. by accepting title without cost to the United States; by exchanging military reservations or parts thereof for that land, upon the written approval of the President; or by purchase or condemnation, if acquisition by gift or exchange is impracticable. The Secretary may, by purchase, gift, lease, or otherwise, acquire at desired locations bombing and machine gun ranges necessary for practice by, and the training of, tactical units. At each installation or depot established under this section, the Secretary shall remove or remodel existing structures as necessary; do necessary grading; and provide buildings, utilities, communication systems, landing fields and mats, roads, walks, aprons, docks, runways, facilities for the storage and distribution of ammunition, fuel, oil, necessary protection against bombs, and all appurtenances to the foregoing. The Secretary may direct the transportation of personnel, and the purchase, renovation, and transportation of material, that he considers necessary to carry out this section. The Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Commander of the United States Northern Command, the Commander of United States European Command, and the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall develop and implement a plan to support the fielding of air base air defense sites at Air Force installations and other priority sites identified by the Secretary. Expeditionary mobile protection for dispersed air bases. Fixed protection for primary air bases. Ground-based protection systems that incorporate kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities. Counter-unmanned aircraft systems. Counter-fixed and Counter-rotary wing aircraft capabilities. Counter-cruise missile capabilities. Interoperability with joint command and control networks. 360-degree active and passive sensors. Systems and software that enable reduced staffing. by not later than September 30, 2027 , field a total of not fewer than four air base air defense sites, of which not fewer than two such sites shall be located in the United States; and in each of fiscal years 2028 through 2031, field at least four air base air defense sites per year, of which not fewer than two of the sites fielded each year shall be located in the United States. Not later than March 1, 2025 , the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a report on the plan required under subsection (a).”