View source for Joint Base Iron Bottom

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{{Infobox military structure
|name = Joint Base Iron Bottom
|native_name = 
|partof = Bilateral United Republic-Imperial Military Basing
|location = [[Courant, Merritt]], [[URE]]
|image = [[File:JointBaseIronBottom URE.gif|300px]]
|caption = Picture of Joint Base Iron Bottom in 2011.
|map_type = 
|latitude = 
|longitude = 
|map_size = 
|map_alt = 
|map_caption = 
|type = Joint Forces Base<br>[Air, Naval and Land]
|coordinates = 
|code = 
|built = {{wp|July 21st, 1953}}
|builder = 
|materials = Reinforced steel, asphalt
|height = 
|used = March 6th, 1987 - Current ([[Imperial Navy (Belhavia)|Belhavian navy]])<br>September 3rd, 1953 - March 6th, 1987 ([[United Republic Navy|Emmerian navy]])
|demolished = 
|condition = Good condition
|ownership = [[United Republic Department of Defense|U.R. DoD]]
|open_to_public = No
|controlledby = [[Imperial Navy (Belhavia)|Imperial Belhavian Navy]]
|garrison = 
|current_commander = Commodore Daniel Grossman ([[Imperial Navy (Belhavia)|Imperial Belhavian Navy]])
|commanders = 
|occupants = 
|battles = 
|events = 
|image2 = 
|caption2 = 
}} 

'''Joint Base Iron Bottom''' is a large joint-forces [[United Republic armed forces|Emmerian military]] base located in the harbor of [[Courant, Merritt]], in northern [[Emmeria]]. Since 1987, it has been continuously leased at ten-year intervals to the Belhavian navy to maintain a small detachment of the Imperial 4th Fleet, the Belhavian Navy's [[Imperial_Navy_(Belhavia)#Fleet_Assignments|Northern Command]]. 

In 1986 and 1987, the Belhavian and Emmerian governments discussed increased bilateral military ties through direct basing of a military contingent of each country's armed forces in each nation's sovereign territory. Owing to the nearby threat of [[Qaradamlar]] and other [[KosCo]] forces in the [[Cold War (Pardes)#Late_Cold_War:_1978_-_2001|late Cold War]], as well as the fact that Iron Bottom was over thirty years old and in less-than-ideal operating conditions, the United Republic Department of Defense leased the base to the Imperial Belhavian Navy, which moved a guided-missile warship squadron to take up garrison there as well as to repair and improve upon the aging naval facility. 

The U.R. DoD renewed the lease in 1997 and 2007, owing to evolving Cold War-era and post-Cold War-era [[Pardes|world geopolitics]] and {{wp|Geostrategy|geostrategic goals between both nations towards Northern Pardes}}. Emmerian authorities are expected to renew the Belhavian navy's lease in 2017 due to longstanding military cooperation and [[Bogorian Civil War|emerging local threats]]. 

The Imperial Navy currently has a flotilla called Taskforce B, a division of the 4th Fleet, stationed there. A [[Veros class light cruiser|''Interdictor''-class]] guided-missile light cruiser heads the force, which consists of one [[Warrior-class|''Warrior''-class]] guided-missile frigate, 4 [[Frederic Wellson class guided-missile destroyer|''Valiant''-class]] destroyers, a pair of <span class="plainlinks">[http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=8820979#p8820979 ''Gallant''-class]</span> fast attack submarines, a [[Daedalus Class|''Predator''-class]] universal combat ship and drone carrier, and an auxiliary fleet oiler. The base also hosts four assault companies of [[Imperial Marine Corps (Belhavia)|Imperial Marines]]. 



[[Category:Belhavia]]
[[Category:United Republic of Emmeria]]
[[Category:Military bases]]