BOISE, Idaho (AP) — When U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday morning that the federal government had reached an agreement with Qatar to build a facility at an Air Force base in Idaho, posts began appearing on social media from people across the political spectrum expressing outrage at the concept of a foreign military base on American soil.
But the facility being built at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho is not a single base at all—it is a group of buildings that will be built to train and service Qatari troops—and the agreement with Qatar has been in the works for years.
“We expect these to be squadrons and hangars for the F-15QA because it is the Qatari version of the aircraft that they bought through foreign military sales,” Air Force spokeswoman Anne Stefanek said. “It’s definitely still a U.S. Air Force base.”
In fact, local training agreements with allies are common in the United States. Pirates of the Republic of Singapore's 428th Fighter Squadron have been stationed at the base since 2008. German troops trained at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico for decades. Last year, new facilities were built at Ebbing Air Force Base in Arkansas to train international F-35 fighter pilots.
Here's something you need to know about international training agreements and Mountain Home Air Force Base.
Where is Mountain Home Air Force Base?
The base is about 50 miles (80.47 kilometers) southeast of Boise, the state capital and major population center. It is located on a high plateau of desert tundra, hidden between two mountain ranges. This location is ideal for training fighter pilots as there is plenty of space around the base to practice maneuvers.
The base is located near the town of Mountain Home, which is home to about 17,000 people. The new facilities will be built by local construction crews, and the base will likely hire local workers to support training operations, Stefanek said. Construction and other associated costs will be financed by Qatar.
Security at the base will still be provided by Air Force personnel, and anyone going to the base will still have to show proper credentials to enter, she said.
What is the purpose of the base?
The base, nicknamed “the fighter base,” is home to the 366th Fighter Wing and more than 50 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. According to its website, its goal is to “empower combat-ready shooters to conduct military operations anytime, anywhere.”
It is home to three fighter squadrons: the 389th Fighter Squadron “Thunderbolts”, the 391st Fighter Squadron “Tigers” and Singapore's 428th Fighter Squadron “Buccaneers”. The base also houses an Air Control Squadron and an Air National Guard Squadron.
In total, the fighter wing includes about 5,100 military and civilian personnel, as well as 3,500 family members, according to the website.
When was the Qatar Agreement conceived?
According to Stefanek, Qatar decided to buy the F-15QA aircraft through a US government program called Foreign Military Sales in 2017, and negotiations began shortly thereafter to train Qatari troops to use the aircraft.
Environmental assessment work to determine potential impacts to the area around Mountain Home Air Force Base began around 2020 and the assessment was completed in 2022.
Why are some people upset by this statement?
Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, a close Trump ally, called the plan an “abomination.”
“No foreign country should have a military base on US soil. Especially Islamic countries,” Loomer wrote in a social media post following Hegseth's announcement.
Similar training agreements have been criticized in the past. In 2019, a Saudi Air Force officer training at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida killed three U.S. service members and wounded several others in a mass shooting. Following an investigation, the US sent home 21 Saudi military students after investigators said they expressed jihadist or anti-American sentiments on social media or were “in contact with child pornography” online.
Others have suggested that the creation of the training base was prompted by Qatar's gift to Trump of a $400 million jumbo jet to serve as Air Force One, although the possibility of a training agreement predated that gift.
What does the US get from agreements on the stationing of foreign troops?
The US sells defense equipment and services to other countries as a foreign policy tool. A federal law called the Arms Export Control Act details when these sales can occur. But generally speaking, it happens when the president decides it will improve US security or promote world peace.
The U.S. military often works alongside other allied or friendly countries on deployment, so well-trained allies can help ensure the safety of American troops.
“This partnership will provide advanced training opportunities and enhance the joint operational readiness of our two countries,” Stefanek said.
