U.S. Microwave Radio Relay Sites to Close in United Kingdom
July 09, 2004

The Department of Defense announced today that it is closing 10 microwave radio relay sites in the United Kingdom. The sites are: Barkway, Botley Hill Farms, Bovington, Caldecott (also known as Chelveston), Christmas Common, Cold Blow, Daventry, Dunkirk, Swingate, and Uxbridge.

This closure is not related to the U.S. Global Posture review, it is simply a cost saving measure. The Defense Information Systems Agency determined that DoD could save $1 million annually by using commercial communications instead of continuing to maintain and upgrade the existing sites.

Operations at these sites ceased in December 2003 and they will be officially closed by the end of December. Since the sites are unmanned, there is no expected impact to military or civilian jobs as a result of the closures.

As with all stationing actions, the United States has coordinated with host nation officials at all levels prior to this public announcement.