LONDON, July 7 (UPI) -- The British government will spend an additional $286 million from the Treasury Reserve to buy equipment for troops in Afghanistan, it was announced Wednesday.
The British Ministry of Defense said the money will be used to buy a range of base protection equipment, including surveillance equipment, communications equipment and logistics equipment.
"It will enable U.K. forces to continue to increase the number of bases in theater as the force thickens in central Helmand and to partner the Afghan security forces more effectively," the ministry said in a news release.
Together with the $101 million for the counter-improvised explosive device campaign announced June 10, this totals about $388 million of Reserve funding allocated to equipment since the beginning of last month.
"I will make sure that everything possible is done to ensure that our forces have what they need to deal with this indiscriminate threat (of improvised explosive devices)," said Defense Secretary Liam Fox. "They deserve nothing less. As I have seen during my visits they are doing fantastic work in Afghanistan in support of the U.K.'s national security."
