Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BOGOTA3041
2005-04-04 20:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:  

AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: FEBRUARY 2005 PROGRAM UPDATE

Tags:  SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS BOGOTA 003041 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP

E.O 12358: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: FEBRUARY 2005 PROGRAM UPDATE

REF: A. 2003 STATE 265910

UNCLAS BOGOTA 003041

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP

E.O 12358: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: FEBRUARY 2005 PROGRAM UPDATE

REF: A. 2003 STATE 265910


1. (U) Summary: Following is the February 2005 Air Bridge
Denial (ABD) activity report required by ref A. There were
5167 tracks noted, of which 16 were declared Unidentified,
Assumed Suspect (UAS) Tracks, with one Phase III event/Law
Enforcement End Game where an aircraft was destroyed and 600
kilos of cocaine were impounded. End Summary.

ABD Tracks
--------------


2. (U) In February 2005, 5167 tracks were noted, of which 16
were declared UAS aircraft. This is the lowest monthly
total since the program started, although the number of
tracks is among the highest. The GOC did not react to five
UAS. Two were located in weather covered areas, one was
close to international borders, one was overwater, and one
had old ROTHR information. Of the eleven they reacted to,
one ended in a Phase III event/Law Enforcement End game and
the tracker was unable to find the remaining ten.

Phase III Event
--------------

3. (SBU) On February 27, a Citation tracker was patrolling
based on host nation information and picked up a track
incoming from Venezuela. An A-37 was scrambled from
Barranquilla. The target landed at Torcoroma, Cesar
department, coordinates N0834/W07341. This is the same
airfield as the Dec 15, 2004 event. The aircraft was loaded
with cargo and took off westbound. The tracker followed and
an A-37 joined on the chase. Phase I was accomplished and
when the interceptor moved abeam of the UAS, the UAS turned
eastbound. Phase Two was completed with no answer from the
UAS. Phase three was completed with no answer from the UAS.
After firing at the UAS, the interceptor reported fuel
streaming from the aircraft, so it stopped firing. The UAS
descended and started throwing white packages from the
aircraft. It landed at Torcoroma, lost control during
landing and crashed off the side of the runway. Three
individuals left the aircraft. After a while several
individuals came to the aircraft and started offloading
packages. The A-37 completed Phase II warning shots and the
individuals left the aircraft. Two Colombian Navy
Helicopters, one of them a Gunship, deployed to the site.
The gunship provided cover while the other offloaded five
individuals who recovered several of the packages. They
left to take the packages to a nearby town. The gunship
stayed at the site and destroyed the aircraft before leaving
the area to prevent the remaining drugs to be picked up by
the traffickers. Army and Police ground forces eventually
arrived and recovered more drug packages. Total cocaine
impounded was 600 kilos.

Flight Operations
--------------


4. (SBU) In February, 2005, the Citations flew 327 hours in
114 sorties with an operational readiness of 99 percent. Of
the 114 sorties, 72 were for GOC ABD intelligence
gathering/patrols, ten were in P-3 support, four for E-3
support, 13 for ROTHR reactions, nine were for training,
four for operational support, and two for reaction to GOC
observations. One Citation was in Phase maintenance through
the month and will remain there until late March. Another
entered Phase maintenance at the end of March and will
remain in Phase maintenance for 3 months.


5. (SBU) To date in 2005, there have been two Phase III
events, two aircraft destroyed, one Phase I, two Law
Enforcement End Games (One of the Phase IIIs and the Phase
I),one arrest, one aircraft administratively impounded and
600 kilos of cocaine impounded.


6. (U) The next AB