You are going to need a fairly large ground force to protect that airbase.
Along with ground crews. And Pilot extraction helos. And ground crews for them. And logistics people. And medical teams. And more ground forces for protection of the larger footprint of ancillary troops....
Just wait. Fly enough missions and there will be pilots shot down. Mechanical failures will occur. Pilot error will result in the loss of a plane or two.
Maybe we can all tune in for the American beheading of the week. Odumbo really is a putz...