The US military command in charge of the Middle East and Iran is developing plans to open a new military test site in Saudi Arabia, according to three US defense officials familiar with the matter, NBC reported.

The agency said, “The facility will test new technologies to combat the growing drone threat, and develop and test integrated air and missile defense capabilities,” noting that “Early planning by Central Command or U.S. Central Command includes naming the facility an Experimental Center Red Sands. An integrated parallel drawing of White Sands, a US military long-range missile test site in New Mexico.

She noted that “while the location has yet to be determined, officials have said that Saudi Arabia makes the most sense because it has large government-owned open spaces and the ability to test various electronic warfare techniques such as signal jamming and directed energy. without interfering with nearby settlements.

A US Defense Department spokesman said: “Given that Saudi Arabia is the center of gravity for many future regional security efforts, this is an opportunity.” The idea was proposed by US Central Command Commander General Michael Eric Corella at a meeting with several US allies in the region last month. A US official familiar with the discussions said: “There was overwhelming support.”

And she believes that “the planned test site comes amid increased security cooperation between Arab countries and Israel against Iran, which has built up a massive ballistic missile arsenal and drone fleet in recent years,” and continued that “regional allies and the U.S. military are concerned Houthi missile and drone attacks in Yemen targeting oil facilities and other infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.

During President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East in July, “U.S. officials touted an opportunity for regional governments to work together to bolster their missile defenses.”

The website states: “The expansion of United States military cooperation with Saudi Arabia is likely to draw criticism from human rights groups and some lawmakers in Washington. The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal. Khashoggi in 2018, and some members of Congress argued that the United States should distance itself from oil-rich Saudi Arabia and rethink its relationship with Riyadh.

Two U.S. Department of Defense officials said, according to NBC, “While there is no confirmed cost estimate yet, the United States will likely fund about 20 percent of the cost and provide about 20 percent of the personnel, with the Allies covering the rest.”

The US official also noted that the idea “unites many countries in pragmatic security arrangements,” while Corella instructed Central Command to shift the command’s focus from a large US military presence in the region to strengthening partnerships.

And the site added: “Two U.S. Department of Defense officials have said there is no specific timetable for the start of Operation Red Sands, but it is unlikely that it will happen before the end of 2022. A US Central Command spokesman also declined to comment. specific planning details.