1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

As your constituent, I urge you to press for a full reassessment of U.S. military strategy because Ukraine and Iran show a dangerous new reality: lower-cost drones and missiles can damage expensive bases and systems from another era. DETERRENCE HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH DRONES For decades, defense planning assumed that expensive platforms and forward bases would deter adversaries. Ukraine and Iran show this model is no longer enough. Lower-cost drones and missiles can overwhelm defenses, force costly interceptions, and expose outdated installations. BASES BUILT FOR ANOTHER ERA The Wall Street Journal reported on June 27-28 that Iranian missiles and drones targeted Naval Support Activity Bahrain from late February to June. Satellite imagery, footage, and interviews showed damage the Pentagon has not publicly acknowledged. The Journal identified damage to command headquarters, at least a dozen buildings, two satellite communications terminals, and all three base sections. It estimated construction costs at 400 million dollars before debris removal, hardening, or equipment losses. ADVERSARIES CAN NOW BLEED U.S. RESOURCES The lesson is not just that one base was hit. Adversaries can use lower-cost weapons to impose large costs on the United States. A base, command node, ship, aircraft, or communications terminal may cost millions or billions. The weapon used to threaten it may cost far less and may be produced much faster than traditional defenses. THE PENTAGON NEEDS A FULL STRATEGY REVIEW The Journal reported that Bahrain damage, and hits to at least 20 U.S. sites across the region, led officials to re-evaluate the Middle East footprint. Options reportedly include revamping Bahrain, moving some functions west, putting command nodes underground, and spreading capabilities more widely. These steps may all be appropriate, but a wholesale reevaluation is needed. CONGRESS SHOULD NOT FUND OLD ASSUMPTIONS Congress is being asked to approve supplemental funding for this conflict on top of a defense budget already seeking increases. Before approving it, Congress should require the Pentagon to reassess U.S. strategy, basing, procurement, and force protection, and explain how future spending will support lower-cost, distributed, and hardened defenses. CONGRESS SHOULD TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS: (1) GAO REVIEW - Direct the Government Accountability Office to assess whether procurement and basing strategies adequately account for fixed, high-value installations vulnerable to low-cost drone and missile attack. (2) DOD STRATEGY REVIEW - Require the Department of Defense to report how it will reassess U.S. basing, procurement, force protection, and counter-drone strategy in light of the vulnerabilities revealed in Ukraine and Iran. (3) PUBLIC HEARINGS - Hold open hearings on whether current global basing strategy remains sound given what Ukraine and Iran have shown about asymmetric drone and missile warfare. Thank you.