U.S. Donates Command Center To Bolster Fight Against Boko Haram

The United States has transferred a command-and-control center to Niger to help the military fight the Boko Haram terrorist group, reports the U.S. Embassy in Niger. 

On Monday, Ambassador Eric Whitaker presided over the transfer of the C2 Node to the Nigerien armed forces. 

The US$16.5 million center includes two deployable tactical operations centers, specialized communications equipment and radios to enhance the army's situational awareness in the fight against the ISIS-linked extremist group. 

The system will streamline the flow of battlefield information to commanders and permit them to communicate with all assets under their command, the ambassador said. 

Washington has previously donated Cessna C-208 surveillance planes and other vehicles and boats to the Nigerien armed forces, noted Agence France-Presse. 

About 800 U.S. personnel operate in Niger, where the U.S. maintains an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) facility in Agadez. A larger base is scheduled to reach operational status by the end of the year.