CENTCOM to Build New High Tech Drone Defense Test Base in Saudi Desert, Reports Say

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Central Command (CENTCOM) is opening a new testing facility in Saudi Arabia to help develop new defense technologies against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drone attacks, NBC News reported on Wednesday.

The base is expected to be called the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center and it will be tasked with developing and testing integrated air and missile defense capabilities, the report said, citing US defense officials.

The site for the new base has not yet been selected, but its missions will also include developing a wide variety of electronic warfare advanced systems including signal-jamming and directed energy, according to the report.

A Saudi location is considered preferable to a US one in order to have the base in vast empty areas long distances away from any significant civilian habitation, the broadcaster explained.

The report noted that the Saudis and other US allies in the region have been increasingly concerned by effective drone and missile attacks launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen.