USEUCOM warns of more coronavirus base lockdowns
USAF General Tod Wolters, head of US European Command (USEUCOM), has suggested that the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Northern Italy could lead to a quarantine lockdown of other US bases, particularly in Germany.
Speaking to the US Senate Armed Services Committee on 25 February, Wolters told the panel that all European military flights were being screened for the virus whilst the US Army in Italy closed on-base child care centres, churches, gyms and schools at its base near Vincenza.
These are due to remain closed until 1 March.
Wolters also informed senators that USEUCOM is ‘anticipating an increase in the number of cases in Germany’.
CNN reported that a joint military training exercise between the US and South Korea is expected to be scaled back after an outbreak of COVID-19 in South Korean barracks last week. The virus is therefore impacting US military operations in both Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions.
More from Defence Notes
-
![“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence]()
“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence
In Conversation… Shephard’s Andrew White talks to Zafer Şen, CEO and co-founder of OBSS, about the future of command-and-control software in the age of artificial intelligence, and his company’s ambitions in the UK defence market.
-
![“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money]()
“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money
Outside investment and the direction in which venture money flows may reveal what defence will buy years before formal programmes begin.
-
![Canada’s new military drone marketplace targets rapid acquisition pipeline]()
Canada’s new military drone marketplace targets rapid acquisition pipeline
The Department of National Defence expects initial contracts to deliver thousands of uncrewed systems, but has yet to establish the quantities, capability mix or deadline behind Ottawa’s promised tenfold expansion.
-
![Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons]()
Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
