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Posted on 01/19/2003 8:33:54 AM PST by knighthawk
NAIROBI: US forces, including Special Forces, bombers and a Navy destroyer, would begin a two-day live-fire exercise in Djibouti on Sunday, a US military spokesman said.
The day and night exercise is the largest of its kind conducted in the small but strategically important Horn of Africa nation, which the US is using as a regional base for its war on terrorism.
About 50 troops, mainly Americans but also some from coalition partners, would be involved, Maj Steve Cox, spokesman for US Combined Task Force-Horn of Africa, said on Saturday.
The destroyer USS Briscoe will fire 5-inch, 54-caliber naval guns while air support will be provided by a B-52 and a B-1 bomber, which will drop 340-kg and 225-kg bombs, respectively.
The Special Forces will act as forward observers and aircraft controllers - a job they carried out during the US bombing campaign in Afghanistan and would likely do if the US takes military action against Iraq.
The exercise will take place around Obock, 50 km north of Djibouti town across the Gulf of Tadjoura.
Cox said by telephone from the USS Mount Whitney that the exercise was not linked to any possible US military action against Iraq, but was being used to give the Horn of Africa task force an opportunity to use live naval gunfire synchronized with close air support.
Some 900 US troops have set up base at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti town as part of the task force.
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