US sets $319m for Kuwait airbase upgradation

The US State Department has given approval for the upgradation of the Al Mubarak Airbase in Kuwait at an estimated cost of $319 million. The construction of this airbase will enable Kuwait to enhance the operational effectiveness of its military and promote security and stability throughout Kuwait, said a statement from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). As per the deal, USACE will provide project management, engineering services, technical support, facility and infrastructure assessments, surveys, planning, programming, design, acquisition, contract administration, construction management, and other technical services for the construction of facilities and infrastructure for the airbase. On completion, it will have added facilities such as a main operations center, hangars, training facilities, barracks, warehouses, support facilities, and other infrastructure required for a fully functioning airbase, said the statement. The facilities being constructed are similar to other facilities built in the past by USACE in other Middle Eastern countries. These facilities replace existing facilities and will provide autonomous airbase operations to the Kuwait Air Force, stated the USACE. 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,