- Texas and Utah Named First Military Bases to Allow Data Centers
- Third-party business partners will be responsible for construction and operation
- The army would benefit from access to calculation and AI tools – which constitute a “strategic asset”
The US military has confirmed plans to install commercial data centers on at least four of its “underutilized” military bases, providing private companies with the opportunity to build and operate them.
Fort Bliss, Texas, and Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, have already been confirmed, with the Army also close to confirming two other sites at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Fort Hood, Texas.
Under the new plans, unused military land would be leased to private developers who have full control of the data centers, from financing and construction to running the campuses once operational.
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US military to lease bases for data centers
In exchange, the military would have access to the computing power of selected partners to manage the data centers.
On this front, these projects are part of a broader push for the military to use AI technology to help detect threats and protect the United States from potential attacks. But on the ground accommodation front, this is the first project of its kind in which Army space is being offered for commercial opportunities.
“AI is a strategic asset for the military,” Secretary of State Dan Driscoll wrote. Carlyle, CyrusOne, KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) have been named partners in the new program.
“By partnering with the private sector to develop state-of-the-art data centers on our installations, we are strengthening our national security, encouraging technological innovation, and building a more resilient, modern military,” added Deputy Assistant Secretary David R. Fitzgerald.
Of course, these sites will not be free from the usual local concerns about high energy and water consumption, rising electricity costs for nearby residents, and general noise and unsightliness. Because military bases are typically sheltered from neighboring communities, the impacts may not be as severe as typical data center construction.
It would likely be up to partner companies to manage resource use to minimize local and environmental impacts. The sites include areas within a half-mile of residential areas and others more than a mile away.
As for next steps, negotiations, reviews and agreements are still ongoing, with initial operational capability potentially targeted as early as 2027.
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