In a bold move to accelerate President Trump’s AI initiatives, the Air Force is now offering private companies the opportunity to lease federal land for the construction of high-powered data centers, Breaking Defense reports.
Executive Order Sparks Action
This initiative stems from Trump’s Executive Order 14318, issued in July, aimed at expediting federal permitting for new AI data centers. The Air Force’s announcement marks the first tangible step by the Defense Department to realize this objective.
Strategic Locations Up for Grabs
According to the Request For Lease Proposal (RFLP) issued on October 15 and updated on October 21, a total of 3,101 acres of „underutilized” federal land across five active Air Force Bases are available for lease:
- 2,115 acres at Edwards AFB in California
- 300 acres at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona
- 274 acres at Arnold AFB in Tennessee
- 219 acres at Robins AFB in Georgia
- 193 acres at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey
Stringent Requirements for Bidders
Proposals, due by November 14, must offer at least „fair market value” for the land, as mandated by federal law, and a one-time payment of approximately $250,000 to cover administrative expenses. Bidders must demonstrate strong financial stability and a proven track record in data center construction, with „at least three completed AI data center projects drawing over 100 MW [megawatts] of new contracted power that the Offeror has developed within the last 3 years.”
Focus on AI Capabilities
The new project must draw at least 100 megawatts of power „dedicated to AI inference, training, simulation, or synthetic data generation.” Notably, it does not need to have a direct connection to national defense to qualify under the executive order.
Strategic Importance and Future Opportunities
According to a press release obtained by Breaking Defense, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) selected these installations based on market analysis, infrastructure availability, and strategic importance. The DAF may consider other opportunities in the future, according to the release.
Trump’s Personal Interest in AI
President Trump has shown a keen interest in artificial intelligence, as evidenced by his White House press conference with OpenAI, shortly after his inauguration. He announced the company’s $500 billion Stargate plan to build AI infrastructure. In July, the White House unveiled an ambitious AI Action Plan, setting broad objectives for multiple federal agencies in what it described as „a race to achieve global dominance in artificial intelligence” against China.
The Air Force expects to select winning proposals in January.
