BBC: US navy 'plans W Africa exercise'

Pentagon officials will not confirm specific plans but one official acknowledged that the US navy is planning an unusual exercise off the West African coast.

There has been talk for some time from senior US commanders in Europe of the need to focus more attention on Africa, including periodic deployments by aircraft carriers.

There is particular concern about emerging terror threats in what have been called "ungoverned areas" in the region.

The Gulf of Guinea represents an area of growing strategic importance because of an increasing number of offshore oil operations.

A senior navy official said recently that a deployment to the Gulf would send a message.