U.K. site could become support base for AFRICOM

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U.K. site could become support base for AFRICOM
By Charlie Reed, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, May 8, 2008

A U.S. base in England that houses two global intelligence hubs is among the sites being considered for a planned intelligence support center for U.S. Africa Command.

“At this time, a number of location options are being considered,” AFRICOM spokesman Vince Crawley said in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes on Tuesday. “However, no decisions on locations for such a center have been made.”

If England is chosen, the “cyber command” element likely would be housed at RAF Molesworth, site of the NATO-centered and U.S.-led Intelligence Fusion Center and the U.S. European Command’s Joint Analysis Center, two autonomous operations.

Some intelligence operations for AFRICOM already are under way at the JAC and will continue there until the location of the main hub is determined, Crawley said.

The United Kingdom-based 501st Combat Support Wing determined it could handle an influx of up to 500 AFRICOM intelligence personnel and their dependents after officials from the Defense Department and AFRICOM recently posed the question, said Col. Kimberly Toney, commander of the 501st.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54631