Main Operating Base (
MOB) is a term used by the
United States military defined as a "permanently manned, well protected
base, used to support permanently deployed forces, and with robust sea and/or air access." This term was used to differentiate major strategic overseas military facilities versus smaller, less secure or temporarily manned contingency tactical locations such as
Forward Operating Bases,
Forward Operating Sites or
Cooperative Security Locations. The differentiation was established as
the Pentagon began to address regional threats primarily in Africa, Asia and
Latin America following its 2004 global posture review.