The British military maintains a hidden global network of 145 overseas installations

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: While the Ministry of Defence officially acknowledges only a handful of bases, investigative reporting has uncovered a sprawling web of 145 military sites spanning all seven continents. These facilities, often described as lily pads, provide the British Armed Forces with strategic access and logistical support across forty-two different countries.

The official narrative from the Ministry of Defence suggests a limited footprint restricted to the United Kingdom, the United States, Cyprus, Gibraltar, and the South Atlantic. However, a November 2020 report by journalist Phil Miller revealed a much larger reality: 145 military installations globally. These sites range from major garrisons to small contingents, with sixty facilities run directly by the British Armed Forces and eighty-five operated by allies. This revelation emerged shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a £16.5 billion increase in the national defence budget.

Many of these locations function as lily pads—strategic points that offer the military easy access when required. This network includes seventeen installations in Cyprus, sixteen in Oman, and fifteen in Saudi Arabia. The British military is also present in six countries identified by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Human Rights Priority Countries, including Bahrain, Iraq, and Yemen. In the Chagos Islands, the Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, operational since 1976, has served as a critical hub for numerous operations, including the war on terror and Operation Shader.

The global reach extends to diverse environments, from the Kifaru Camp in Kenya to the British Defence Singapore Support Unit, which acts as a logistics centre for Southeast Asia and Oceania. In Australia, personnel are stationed at four sites, including the Wyndham aerodrome, while locally recruited reserve units operate in territories like the Turks and Caicos Islands, which raised its own regiment in April 2020. Even in the Falkland Islands, the military maintains six sites, including the major RAF Mount Pleasant. This expansive infrastructure enables the British Armed Forces to maintain a forward presence and conduct expeditionary warfare far beyond the British Isles.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• Mapping the global footprint of Britain's overseas military network
• The British base that hosts only American jets
• The Yorkshire site that monitors the world's signals
• The busiest airport in the world was once a tiny Atlantic rock
• The world's longest corridor is a drab, foreboding military hallway in the Falkland Islands.
• The danger of seeing everything but understanding nothing
• The ancient archipelago where the sea meets the deep-sea isle
• The ancient script that once recorded the original texts of the Bible
• The statue of Lourdes is not what the visionary actually saw
• The hidden history written beneath the surface of ancient manuscripts
• Did a young shepherd lie to a famous priest to test his powers?
• A Scottish court was built inside a disused American airbase

More in Languages · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics