The US Army will host commercial data centers on 'underutilized' land at four major bases

• Texas and Utah named as first Army bases to allow data centers
• Third-party commercial partners will be responsible for construction and operation
• The Army would benefit from access to compute and AI tools – which are a "strategic asset"

The US Army has confirmed plans to hose commercial data centers on at least four of its "underutilized" military bases, offering opportunities for private companies to build and operate them.

Fort Bliss, Texas and Dugway Proving Ground, Utah have already been confirmed, with the Army also nearing confirmation on two further sites at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Fort Hood, Texas.

Under the new plans, unused Army land would be leased to private developers who are wholly in control of the data centers, from funding and building to running the campuses once live.

US Army will lease some bases for data centers

In return, the Army would gain access to computing power from the partners selected to run the data centers.

On that front, the plans are part of a broader push for the military to use AI technology to help detect threats and protect the US against potential attacks. But on the land hosting front, this marks the first scheme of its kind with Army space being offered up to commercial opportunities.

"AI is a strategic asset for the Army," Secretary Dan Driscoll wrote. Carlyle, CyrusOne, KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) have been appointed as partners for the new scheme.

"By partnering with the private sector to develop cutting-edge data centers on our installations, we are bolstering our national security, driving technological innovation, and building a more resilient and modern Army," Deputy Undersecretary David R Fitzgerald added.

Of course, these sites won't be without the usual local concerns around high energy and water consumption, rising electricity costs for nearby residents and the general noise and unsightliness. With military bases generally sheltered from nearby communities, the impacts might not be so severe as typical data center buildouts.

It would likely be on partner companies to handle resource use to minimize local and environmental impacts. Sites include areas within half a mile of residential areas, and others more than a mile away.

As for the next stages, negotiations, reviews and agreements are still ongoing, with initial operating capability potentially targeted for as soon as 2027.

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