Photos

The largest of the coral atolls of the Chagos Archipelago, Diego Garcia, is visible in this northwest-looking view. Diego Garcia is approximately 560 km (350 mi) south of the Maldive Islands in the central Indian Ocean. The crescent shape of the coral island encloses a lagoon that forms the harbor. Diego Garcia is the site of a large Anglo-American Naval Air and Communications facility located on the northwest part of the atoll. Image courtesy of NASA.

An aerial view of the island of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Diego Garcia is the location of an important UK and US air and naval base supporting operations throughout the Indian Ocean basin. The lagoon provides an excellent sheltered deep water anchorage. Photo courtesy of US Navy.

The Australian frigate HMAS Toowoomba makes a port call at Diego Garcia. The lagoon provides a sheltered anchorage for replenishment. Diego Garcia provides critical logistical infrastructure support to US and Allied Forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. Photo courtesy of the US Navy.

The dome of a one-meter telescope opens as it prepares to view and track space objects. The telescope is located at the Ground Based Electro-optical Deep Space Surveillance System in Diego Garcia. The site is responsible for tracking thousands of man-made objects in deep space - 10,000 to 45,000 km from earth. Photo courtesy of US Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brian Ferguson.

The USNS Seay (T-AKR 302), a Military Sealift Command roll-on roll-off vehicle cargo ship, at anchor in the lagoon at Diego Garcia. The photo shows sailors lowering a maritime prepositioning force utility boat from the USNS Seay using a crane during a ship-to-shore logistics training exercise. Diego Garcia provides critical logistical infrastructure support to US and Allied Forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. Photo courtesy of the US Navy/ Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Nathan Carpenter.

A B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber arrives at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, 12 August 2020. Three B-2s deployed to the Indian Ocean as part of a training exercise. Photo courtesy of the US Air Force/ 1st Lt. Michael Hardy.

US Air Force KC-10A Extender aerial refueling aircraft, left, and C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft are parked on the ramp at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia. This photo illustrates the surge capacity for staging strategic forces into the Indian Ocean basin. The joint UK and US base on Diego Garcia provides logistics support to overseas contingency operations. Photo courtesy of the US Navy/ Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Caine Storino.

A crew member from US Navy Patrol Squadron (VP) 45, inspects a sensor on a Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft onboard US Navy Support Facility (NSF) Diego Garcia. The aircraft from Patrol Squadron 45 made a transit stop onboard NSF Diego Garcia from 1-3 December 2019. Photo courtesy of the US Navy/ Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jillian F. Grady.

The New Zealand frigate HMNZS Te Mana (F111) makes a port call at Diego Garcia on 23 November 2013. The island's lagoon provides a sheltered anchorage where allied naval vessels can replenish. Diego Garcia provides critical logistical infrastructure support to US and Allied Forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. Photo courtesy of US Navy/ Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alex Smedegard.

The main administration building for US Navy Support Facility (NSF) Diego Garcia. The US and British Indian Ocean Territory flags are flown at half-mast on 11 September to mark an anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the US. NSF Diego Garcia provides logistic, service, recreational, and administrative support to US and Allied Forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. Photo courtesy of US Navy/ Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Charlotte C. Oliver.

The Chapel in the Palms on Diego Garcia, part of the US Naval Support Facility (NSF) community. NSF Diego Garcia provides logistic, service, recreational, and administrative support to US and Allied Forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. Photo courtesy of the US Navy/Seaman Apprentice Michael Porterfield.

A relaxing sail on the lagoon of Diego Garcia. The island is a strategic joint UK and US air and naval base in the Indian Ocean. The lagoon provides a sheltered anchorage for forward deployed naval assets. Diego Garcia provides critical logistical infrastructure support to US and Allied Forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. Photo courtesy of the US Navy.