US Air Forces in Europe is increasing the number of joint terminal attack controllers from partner nations that it trains to make more of these highly skilled assets available in Afghanistan. Adm. James Stavridis, US European Command boss, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday that USAFE trained 25 coalition JTACs in 2009 and anticipates training 30 this year. He said USAFE is also working with Poland to establish a regional air ground operations training capability in that country. Speaking to reporters last month in Orlando, Fla., Gen. Roger Brady, USAFE boss, said the demand for JTACs is “perhaps second only” to that for MQ-1 Predator unmanned surveillance aircraft. “We’ve got to the point where everyone wants a JTAC, even [provincial reconstruction teams],” he said. Brady said USAFE is doubling its annual overall JTAC training capacity from 72 to 144.
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.