British Forces British Indian Ocean Territories
British Forces British Indian Ocean Territories (BFBIOT) is the name for the British Armed Forces Permanent Joint Operating Base (PJOB) on Diego Garcia, in the British Indian Ocean Territory.[1] While the naval and airbase facilities on Diego Garcia are leased to the United States, in practice, it operates as a joint UK-US base, with the United Kingdom retaining full and continual access.[2]
Diego Garcia is strategically located, offering access to East Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The base serves as a staging area for the buildup or resupply of military forces prior to an operation.
There are approximately 40–50 British military personnel posted on Diego Garcia, most of them from Naval Party 1002 (NP1002). NP1002 forms the civil administration of the islands.[3]
References
- Permanent Joint Operating Bases (PJOBs), www.gov.uk, 12 December 2012
- "The Status and Location of the Military Installations of the Member States of the European Union" (PDF). Policy Department External Policies: 13–14. February 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- Welcome to Diego Garcia Archived 2016-10-05 at the Wayback Machine, page 3, DIEGO GARCIA, A BRITISH TERRITORY, public.navy.mil