Editing Fortification (section)

===Military airfields===
[[Military airfield]]s offer a fixed "target rich" environment for even relatively small enemy forces, using [[hit-and-run tactics]] by ground forces, stand-off attacks (mortars and rockets), air attacks, or ballistic missiles. Key targets—aircraft, munitions, fuel, and vital technical personnel—can be protected by fortifications.

Aircraft can be protected by [[Revetment (aircraft)|revetment]]s, [[hesco barrier]]s, [[hardened aircraft shelter]]s and [[underground hangar]]s which will protect from many types of attack. Larger aircraft types tend to be based outside the operational theater.

Munition storage follows safety rules which use fortifications (bunkers and bunds) to provide protection against accident and chain reactions (sympathetic detonations). Weapons for rearming aircraft can be stored in small fortified ''expense'' stores closer to the aircraft. At Biên Hòa, South Vietnam, on the morning of May 16, 1965, as aircraft were being refueled and armed, a chain reaction explosion destroyed 13 aircraft, killed 34 personnel, and injured over 100; this, along with damage and losses of aircraft to enemy attack (by both [[Infiltration tactics|infiltration]] and stand-off attacks), led to the construction of revetments and shelters to protect aircraft throughout [[South Vietnam]].

Aircrew and ground personnel will need protection during enemy attacks and fortifications range from culvert section "duck and cover" shelters to permanent air raid shelters. Soft locations with high personnel densities such as accommodation and messing facilities can have limited protection by placing prefabricated concrete walls or barriers around them, examples of barriers are [[Jersey Barrier]]s, T Barriers or Splinter Protection Units (SPUs). Older fortification may prove useful such as the old 'Yugo' pyramid shelters built in the 1980s which were used by US personnel on 8 Jan 2020 when Iran fired 11 ballistic missiles at [[Al Asad Airbase|Ayn al-Asad Airbase]] in Iraq.

Fuel is volatile and has to comply with rules for storage which provide protection against accidents. Fuel in underground bulk fuel installations is well protected though valves and controls are vulnerable to enemy action. Above-ground tanks can be susceptible to attack.

Ground support equipment will need to be protected by fortifications to be usable after an enemy attack.

Permanent (concrete) guard fortifications are safer, stronger, last longer and are more cost-effective than [[sandbag]] fortifications. Prefabricated positions can be made from concrete culvert sections. The British Yarnold Bunker is made from sections of a concrete pipe.

Guard towers provide an increased field of view but a lower level of protection.

Dispersal and camouflage of assets can supplement fortifications against some forms of airfield attack.

====Counterinsurgency====
Just as in colonial periods, comparatively obsolete fortifications are still used for low intensity conflicts. Such fortifications range in size from small patrol bases or [[forward operating base]]s up to huge [[airbase]]s such as [[Camp Bastion]]/[[Camp Leatherneck|Leatherneck]] in [[Afghanistan]]. Much like in the 18th and 19th century, because the enemy is not a powerful military force with the heavy weaponry required to destroy fortifications, walls of [[gabion]], [[sandbag]] or even simple mud can provide protection against small arms and antitank weapons—although such fortifications are still vulnerable to mortar and artillery fire.