Air Force Proposes 300 Acre Data Center Lease at Davis-Monthan Base

The Air Force is proposing to lease roughly 300 acres at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for a new artificial intelligence data center. The plan places private computer infrastructure inside a secured military installation, a move that national security experts warn could expose base operations to new threats.

The proposal follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in late July 2025. The order offers federal land for AI data centers to meet rising computational demands. The Air Force selected five bases for this initiative, with Davis-Monthan serving as one of the sites. Similar facilities are planned for other locations, including a site near Luke Air Force Base.

Under the lease terms, the government retains the option to purchase services and power from the data centers but is not required to do so. The leases will run for 50 years. This arrangement is authorized by a federal statute that permits the leasing of underutilized military land to promote national defense.

The Army stated that the data centers will provide the processing power needed for advanced simulations and drone swarms. However, critics argue that placing private firms on military bases blurs the line between public and private partnerships. Roberto Gonzalez, an expert on U.S. militarism at San Jose State University, noted that the physical location of the data center does not eliminate the security risks.

Gonzalez told Arizona’s Family that building a military reliant on AI creates new vulnerabilities that enemies can target. He questioned the vetting process for the two companies selected for the first data centers: the Carlyle Group and CyrusOne. CyrusOne is jointly owned by KKR and BlackRock. Gonzalez said, “What we’re talking about here is introducing a whole new level of vulnerability into America’s military bases and even putting American servicemen and women in harm’s way who are stationed there.”

Opposition to data centers has grown in the Phoenix area, becoming a topic in midterm election discussions. In Ahwatukee, developer Menlo Digital is constructing a project consisting of five two-story buildings. The site covers 38 acres off 48th Street, north of Chandler Boulevard, and totals 1 million square feet.

Near Luke Air Force Base, a different developer has received a military compatibility permit from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The developer coordinated with base officials to ensure the project aligns with safety and flight criteria. The Davis-Monthan proposal remains in the planning stage as officials review the lease agreement.