The Department of Defense announced that it is closing 10 microwave radio relay sites in Barkway, Bottley Hill Farms, Bowington, Caldecott, Christmas Common, Cold Blow, Daventry, Swingate and Uxbridge, in the UK. This closing is not related to the US Global Posture Review, it is simply a cost saving measure. The Defense Information Systems Agency determined that DoD could save $1 M annually by using commercial communications instead of continuing to maintain and upgrade the existing sites.

Since the sites are unmanned, there is no expected impact to military or civilian jobs as the result of the closures. As with all stationing actions, the US has coordinated with host nation officials at all levels prior to the announcement.