MISSION RECOMMENDATION ON BRAZIL'S ABD PROGRAM: SITE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRASILIA 002073 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958 TAGS: PRELBR SUBJECT: MISSION RECOMMENDATION ON BRAZIL'S ABD PROGRAM: SITE VISITS TO ATC CENTERS REFS: A. STATE 139897 B. BRASILIA 2002 ¶1. (SBU) Per refs, herewith is report of Embassy Brasilia's Air Attache's visit to Brazilian air traffic control centers. This information is provided in response to reftel a, and completes ref b Mission recommendation for annual renewal of Presidential Determination supporting USG support for Brazil's Air Bridge Denial Program. ¶2. (SBU) Begin text. AIR ATTACHE VISITS TO CINDACTAS I AND III Part I - Visit to CINDACTA I, Brasilia, Brazil -------------- Date: 26 September 2006 Time: 0930 Place: Center for Air Defense and Air Traffic Control I (CINDACTA I) SHIS QI 05 - Area Especial 12 - Lago Sul Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil 71615-600 Visitor: Col Kevin P. Karol, Air Attach, U.S. Defense Attach Office, Brasilia, Brazil Brazilian Officials: Col Serva, Commander, CINDACTA I Col Aquino, Chief of Staff, Brazilian Air Defense Command (COMDABRA) Maj Dellamore, Center for Social Communications, Brazilian Air Force Maj Sena, Chief of Controllers, CINDACTA I (Interviewee) Subofficer Cesar, Assistant Chief of Controllers, CINDACTA I (Interviewee) ¶1. Visit was in response to request by Air Attach to visit two CINDACTAs to answer specific questions in regard to Brazil's Air Bridge Denial program. Officials from COMDABRA and CINDACTA were extremely helpful and courteous during the interview. The interview took place in the air traffic controller training room, which is a replica of the operational air traffic control and air defense facility, located in the same building and adjacent to the training room. ¶2. Following are the questions as provided by U.S. State Department and responses; Q1. Are you aware of the shootdown program? If so, how did you become aware of the program? R1. The shootdown program is a significant part of air traffic controller (ATC) training. We learn about it in initial training and then we constantly train in it as part of our recurring training. All our training is documented. In this room we practice the sequence of events and procedures on simulators. Additionally, when the program was first announced, there was a public media blitz, as well as NOTAMs. You can find all information needed by pilots and air crew members in the Aeronautic Information Package (AIP),on the Air Force web site, in many other publications, and it is a part of the Brazilian Laws of Aeronautics. Any pilot or air crew member who files a flight plan will encounter sufficient documentation and directions regarding the program. Q2. If you suspected an aircraft of illegal activity or if an aircraft refused to comply with air traffic control commands, what procedures would you follow? R2. We would open our ATC "bible" and follow the appropriate checklist. In this case, the checklist for shootdown. It guides us step by step through the process up to requesting an actual shot of destruction from the commander of the air force. NOTE: Interviewer read the checklist but was not allowed a copy as it was from a Brazilian Air Force classified regulation, "Operational Rules of the Air Defense System", dated 27 July 2005, two volumes. BRASILIA 00002073 002 OF 003 Q3. If an unknown or suspect aircraft contacted you, what procedures would you follow in communicating with the pilot of the suspect aircraft and instructing him/her on how to proceed? R3. See response R2. Additionally, in the Brazilian system, air traffic controllers at airports do not respond to this type of situation other than "handing off" immediately to the ATC/air defense controllers located in a regional CINDACTA. This is because the CINDACTA controllers and infrastructure have immediate access to the air force decision-making chain of command but also to any other government agency that might need to get involved such as the Federal Police or Receita Federal (IRS equivalent),etc. Q4. What steps has the GOB taken to publicize the shootdown program and its interception procedures? Are you aware of any public outreach by the GOB on the program? R4. As we stated, there was an initial media blitz to advertise the enforcement of the law. But now, there is information in all the resources a pilot or navigator would use in doing a flight plan to acquire the knowledge needed to comply with the procedures of the law. These include websites, flying regulations, the AIP, and postings in flight planning rooms at airfield facilities. Since this is a federal law, we consider these as all part of the public outreach to aircraft operators. NOTE: At this point, the controllers even pulled up the air force website to show the clearly delineated procedures of the shootdown law, with animation. They printed out a page from the website and provided to interviewer. (Attached) Part II - Visit to CINDACTA III, Recife, Brazil -------------- Date: 27 September 2006 Time: 1430 Place: Center for Air Defense and Air Traffic Control III (CINDACTA III) Base Aerea Recife, Recife, Pernamcuco, Brazil Visitor: Major Keli A. Bedics, Assistant Air Attach, U.S. Defense Attach Office, Brasilia, Brazil Brazilian Officials: Col Jose alves Candez Nete, Commander, CINDACTA III LtCol Alfredo Arnaldo Boschi, Vice Chief of Operations, CINDACTA III (Interviewee) First Sergeant Itamar Alves da Silva, Assistant Chief of Controllers, CINDACTA III (Interviewee) ¶1. The visit was in response to a request from the Air Attach to visit two CINDACTAs to answer specific questions regarding Brazil's Air Bridge Denial program. Officials at CINDACTA III appeared to be not only knowledge and interested but also honest and forthcoming during the interview. The Commander and the Vice Chief of Operations began the interview by presenting a briefing on CINDACTA III and the Lei do Abate (Shootdown Law). Following the briefing, the Vice Chief of Operations gave the interviewer a tour of the Air Traffic Control training and simulation rooms. The visit concluded with a visit to the operational air traffic control and air defense facility where the actual interview was conducted. ¶2. Following are the questions as provided by U.S. State Department and responses; Q1. Are you aware of the shootdown program? If so, how did you become aware of the program? R1. Because of the public debate in late 2003 and early 2004 about the shootdown program prior to it becoming law, any Brazilian who reads the newspaper or watches the news is aware of the program. In fact, a public opinion poll conducted via internet found 87% of respondents were in favor of the program as a means by which Brazil could maintain its sovereignty. For those of us in the Brazilian Air Force, we understand the genesis of the law and are thoroughly familiar with it as it is what we do. To maintain our proficiency as Air Traffic Controllers (ATC),we are BRASILIA 00002073 003 OF 003 required to participate in formal training on the program every two months at a minimum. Additionally, we participate in informal training every day. During the course of the year, we participate in bi-lateral exercises such as COLBRA and VENBRA and combined exercises such as CRUZEX that further hone our skills. Not only do we do our own training, but we are an integral part of the air defense pilot training program. When they train, we train too. Civilian pilots would have become aware of the shootdown program when it was announced in the press and through a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) released when the program began. That information is now available in the Aeronautic Information Package (AIP) for Brazil that all pilots must review prior to flying. Q2. If you suspected an aircraft of illegal activity or if an aircraft refused to comply with air traffic control commands, what procedures would you follow? R2. First, it is important to reiterate that the shootdown program deals with aircraft suspected of international drug trafficking. When we have a suspect track, we go to the NOSDA 50 (Normas Operacionais do Sistema de Defesa Aeroespacial, Operating Norms for the Air Defense System) and follow the procedures outlined there. Every person in each step of the chain of command has his specific duties and responsibilities as outlined in the NOSDA. NOTE: Interviewees showed interviewer the NOSDA which was within arm's reach of the controllers. Q3. If an unknown or suspect aircraft contacted you, what procedures would you follow in communicating with the pilot of the suspect aircraft and instructing him/her on how to proceed? R3. It is unlikely that a "suspect" aircraft would contact ATC, but if one did, we would again follow the procedures outlined in NOSDA ¶50. In our area of responsibility, we have many farmers with private planes who fly without filing flight plans so we use the NOSDA 50 procedures to classify these unknown tracks. Q4. What steps has the GOB taken to publicize the shootdown program and its interception procedures? Are you aware of any public outreach by the GOB on the program? R4. As in the response to Q1, because of the publicity the program received when it first became law, it is very well known. All pilots flying in our airspace must review the NOTAMs and AIP for Brazil prior to flying. All of the information about the Lei do Abate is included in these regulations. In-depth information is available on the air force website and the ANAC (National Agency for Airspace Control) website. Additionally, there are informational posters in planning rooms at airports and airfields throughout Brazil. NOTE: Controllers provided a paper copy of the information on the Shootdown Law from the air force website. See www.reservaer.com.br/legislacao/leidoabate /entenda_leidoabate.htm. Part III - Summary -------------- U.S. Air Attaches are convinced, based upon these visits, that the procedures are in place and that the air traffic controllers have the knowledge and resources on hand to effectively process the procedures in support of the shootdown law in Brazil. End Text. SOBEL