In an era of new great-power competition and evolving transnational threats, Bagram Air Base remains a critical asset for ensuring U.S. security interests in a volatile region.
Bagram Airfield (BAF), also known as Bagram Air Base, is situated approximately 11 kilometers southeast of Charikar in Afghanistan’s Parwan Province. It served as the largest United States military installation in Afghanistan from 1980’s to 2021. Under American control, the base underwent significant expansion and modernization. Kabul International Airport lies roughly 40 kilometers to the south of Bagram.
Initially constructed in the 1950s by the Soviet Union during the early Cold War period, the airfield was part of the broader geopolitical contest between the United States and the Soviet Union for influence in Afghanistan. During the Soviet–Afghan War in the 1980s, the airstrip played a critical role as a logistical hub for Soviet military operations and a base for deploying troops and supplies.
Between 1999 and 2000, the Northern Alliance and the Taliban contested to take control over Bagram Airfield. The Taliban maintained consistent artillery on the site and prevented the Northern Alliance from establishing complete control. In 2000, the Taliban succeeded in forcing the Northern Alliance to retreat further north and consolidated their control over the facility.
Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks and the subsequent U.S.-led military intervention in Afghanistan, Bagram was secured by a unit from the United Kingdom’s Special Boat Service (SBS), the elite maritime special forces of the Royal Navy. By mid-December 2001, over 300 U.S. troops had been deployed to provide force protection at the airfield. This number increased to approximately 400 by early January 2002.
By late January 2002, there were an estimated 4,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, with approximately 3,000 stationed at Kandahar International Airport and around 500 at Bagram. During this period, repair and rehabilitation work on the runway was undertaken by U.S., Italian, and Polish military engineers.
By mid-June 2002, Bagram Airfield had become home to over 7,000 personnel from the United States and allied armed forces. Since then, Bagram Airbase was under the control of U.S. However, on 15 August 2021, Bagram Air Base was seized by Taliban forces following the collapse and surrender of the NATO-trained Afghan National Army.
Bagram Air Base, for U.S., still holds a strategic significance in the broader geopolitical context of South and Central Asia. This airbase has also been the epicenter of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan.
However, since August 2021, the absence of an on-ground military footprint has constrained US’ ability to monitor regional threats, and maintain geopolitical leverage.
The shifting regional dynamics heightened the importance of a U.S. strategic presence in Afghanistan. China is deepening its influence in Afghanistan through economic and political channels. Similarly, Russia is in quest of expanding its military cooperation with Central Asian states. Therefore, the absence of American presence relinquishes ground to adversarial powers.
Re-access to Bagram would serve as a deterrent against these influences. Although active military conflict in Afghanistan has ended but the strategic battle for influence persists. Bagram could facilitate intelligence sharing and operational coordination with regional allies.
Political and logistical barriers to reoccupation exist. This is because, the current Taliban government has denied the rumors and reports that Bagram Airbase would be handed back to the US. In an era of renewed great-power competition and evolving transnational threats, Bagram Air Base remains a critical asset for ensuring U.S. security interests in a volatile region.
