British Forces British Indian Ocean Territories


British Forces British Indian Ocean Territories is the name for the British Armed Forces Permanent Joint Operating Base on Diego Garcia, in the British Indian Ocean Territory. 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.
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 forms the civil administration of the islands.