The United States military in Jordan numbers roughly 3,800 personnel operating from Jordanian bases under a 2021 Defense Cooperation Agreement, conducting counter-terrorism missions, training the Jordanian Armed Forces, and running logistics for American positions across the border in Syria. The deployment is backed by more than a billion dollars in annual U.S. aid and sits at the center of one of Washington’s most active security partnerships in the Middle East.
How Many Troops and What Kind
Reported figures put the U.S. force in Jordan at approximately 3,813 as of mid-2024, up from about 3,188 at the end of 2023. The increase tracked with heightened regional tensions after the October 2023 escalation in Gaza and a wave of militia attacks on American positions across the Middle East. The deployment includes Army and Air Force personnel on both permanent assignment and rotational tours.
The hardware footprint is significant. Satellite imagery and flight-tracking data have shown dozens of attack aircraft and cargo planes operating from Jordanian bases at peak activity. Surveillance aircraft and armed drones are also reportedly stationed in-country, though the U.S. government has not always publicly acknowledged the full scope of drone operations from Jordanian soil.
The Legal Framework: The 2021 Defense Cooperation Agreement
The legal backbone of the American presence is the Defense Cooperation Agreement signed in Amman on January 31, 2021, and entered into force on March 17, 2021.1U.S. Department of State. Jordan (21-317) – Defense Cooperation Agreement The DCA replaced a patchwork of earlier arrangements with a single comprehensive framework, formalizing decades of ad hoc military cooperation.
Under the agreement, U.S. forces, civilian personnel, and contractors receive access to agreed-upon facilities and areas within Jordan for training, exercises, transit, and the temporary staging of vehicles, aircraft, and ships.2U.S. Department of State. Defense Cooperation Agreement Between the United States of America and Jordan American personnel are authorized to carry weapons while performing official duties. They may enter and exit Jordan without standard visa requirements. And they receive a degree of legal immunity from Jordanian courts for acts committed in the course of their duties.
Where U.S. Forces Are Based
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, near the eastern city of Azraq, is the primary hub for U.S. air operations in Jordan. Its location offers relatively quick access to the Syrian and Iraqi borders, making it a natural staging ground for surveillance flights, strike missions, and cargo transport. Satellite imagery and flight-tracking data have documented dozens of attack aircraft and cargo planes using the base during periods of heightened regional activity.3The Times of Israel. Jordanian Base Hosting Dozens of US Planes in Sharp Uptick, NYT Reports
The base has undergone extensive expansion funded by the U.S. government. Since 2017, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded at least seven construction contracts totaling over $265 million. Projects have included runway repairs, an air traffic control tower, roads, guard gates, sewage systems, water wells, and dormitory facilities housing up to 280 personnel.
Tower 22
Tower 22 is a smaller installation on the Jordanian side of the convergence point where the borders of Jordan, Syria, and Iraq meet. It housed up to 350 American soldiers and included engineering, aviation, logistics, and security elements. The post serves as the gateway to the Waleed border crossing into Syria, the primary resupply route for U.S. positions deeper in Syrian territory. It was likely designated as a military border post under the 2021 DCA.
What the Mission Looks Like
The core purpose of the deployment is counter-terrorism and building the capacity of the Jordanian Armed Forces. American troops conduct joint training with their Jordanian counterparts, share intelligence, and provide advisory support aimed at strengthening Jordan’s ability to defend its long borders with Syria and Iraq. Both governments share an interest in preventing an ISIS resurgence and countering Iranian-backed militias in the region.
U.S. forces in Jordan also play a logistics role for American operations deeper in the theater. Positions on the Jordanian side of the Waleed border crossing sustain U.S. bases inside Syria, including the special operations garrison at Tanf near the Syrian-Iraqi border. That garrison functions as an intelligence outpost monitoring Russian and Iranian activity, a deterrent to pro-Iranian militias, and a checkpoint against ISIS movement.
Border security cooperation extends to technology. The United States has funded electronic surveillance and sensor systems along Jordan’s borders through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. These systems integrate radars and electro-optical infrared cameras into a common operating picture, giving Jordanian forces better awareness of cross-border movement.
The Eager Lion Exercise
The most visible expression of the partnership is Eager Lion, a recurring multilateral exercise hosted by Jordan and one of the largest drills in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.4U.S. Central Command. Jordan Hosts U.S. Forces and Partner Nations for Premiere Exercise Eager Lion 24 Held every other year, it brings together forces from more than 30 nations to practice scenarios ranging from border security and cyber defense to integrated air and missile defense.
The 2024 iteration included 33 participating nations, and initial planning for Eager Lion 2026, scheduled for May, was completed in early 2026.5U.S. Central Command. U.S.-Jordan Complete Initial Planning for Exercise Eager Lion 2026 CENTCOM has described the exercise as a “capstone” reflecting more than four decades of close military cooperation.
The Tower 22 Attack
Tower 22 became the site of the deadliest attack on U.S. forces in the region in years when, in the early hours of January 28, 2024, a one-way drone struck the base and killed three Army Reserve soldiers: Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett.6Air National Guard. The Hometown Heroes of Tower 22 Dozens more were wounded. The attack was attributed to an Iranian-backed militia and came amid a broader wave of strikes on American positions across the Middle East. The U.S. responded with retaliatory strikes against militia targets in Syria and Iraq.
The Money Behind the Presence
Under a seven-year Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership signed in September 2022, the United States committed to providing $1.45 billion per year in bilateral foreign assistance to Jordan from fiscal year 2023 through fiscal year 2029, totaling $10.15 billion over the life of the agreement.7United States Department of State. Joint Statement on the Signing of the Bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership Between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan That commitment makes Jordan one of the largest recipients of American foreign aid globally.
The aid spans both economic and military assistance. Military funding supports equipment purchases, training programs, and the maintenance of Jordan’s armed forces. Economic assistance addresses development needs and helps offset the fiscal strain of hosting over a million Syrian refugees.
Political Friction Inside Jordan
The 2021 DCA drew sharp criticism inside Jordan over how it was approved. Rather than going through the Jordanian Parliament for ratification, the agreement was enacted by royal decree and published in the official journal in March 2021. Jordan’s Foreign Minister at the time told lawmakers the accord was “the fruit of long negotiations,” but bypassing the legislature fueled accusations that the government had sidestepped constitutional requirements.
Islamist lawmaker Saleh al-Armuti called on the government to cancel the agreement, arguing it violated the constitution and compromised Jordan’s sovereignty. Other members of parliament pushed for the accord to be referred to the Constitutional Court. Legal scholars pointed to Article 1 of the Jordanian constitution, which declares the kingdom “an independent sovereign Arab State” that is “indivisible and inalienable,” arguing that granting foreign troops broad access and legal immunity was incompatible with that principle. The government maintained that the agreement was fully consistent with Jordanian law and international norms.