BOGOTA FY08 "1206" PROJECT PROPOSALS

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000049 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER MARR CO SUBJECT: BOGOTA FY08 "1206" PROJECT PROPOSALS ¶1. (SBU) Embassy Bogota concurs with the following six project proposals for section 1206 funding in FY 2008. Listed in priority order, all will strengthen Colombian military capacity to conduct counterterrorism operations against the FARC and ELN (designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations) and other illegal armed groups. ¶A. Close Air SUPPORT Pilot Exchange (USD 0.40 million) Two U.S. Close Air SUPPORT (CAS) pilots will assist and train Colombian Air Force (COLAF) pilots in counterterrorist operations in new Super Tucano combat aircraft, which feature advanced weapons delivery avionics new to the COLAF. ¶B. Cessna Grand Caravan with Leica Camera and LIDAR (USD 5.27 million) The Caravan ISR and associated Leica camera and LIDAR system is able to map and identify structures hidden beneath the jungle canopy. These include guerrilla camps holding kidnap victims, among them three U.S. defense contractors and Colombian politicians, military officers, and other private citizens. ¶C. Colombian Strategic Network (RIC) Upgrade (USD 4.45 million) This project extends secure communications to remote military bases and units now lacking coverage. The RIC network carries all tactical applications such as the VHF/FM and air-to-ground nets and the mobile digital network. It also provides connectivity for USG-sponsored systems such as the Combined Enterprise Information Exchange System (CENTRIXS), Colombian IMAGERY Library Archive (CILA),and Cooperating Nations Information Exchange System (CNIES). ¶D. "WASP" Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (UAS) (USD 1.50 million) The WASP is an unmanned aerial surveillance platform for use on Colombian rivers, which are primary logistics routes for illegal armed groups. Its real-time video IMAGERY will serve as an early warning and threat indicator system, enabling a remote operator to gather intelligence on guerrilla camps and terrorist activities. ¶E. Biomedical Detection Systems (USD 3.18 million) To assist the marines of the Colombian Navy in screening for potential terrorists during search operations at riverine checkpoints. This system will fingerprint suspects and match their fingerprints and passport/ID information against a portable data base, which can remotely connect to a master data base. This equipment will also aid the Colombian Coast Guard in screening crews of transiting ships, to prevent smuggling of terrorists in and out of Colombia. ¶F. "RHIB" Boats for Naval Special Forces (USD 1.15 million) Four Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBS) will enable Colombian Naval and Coast Guard Special Forces to gather intelligence, interdict terrorist supply shipments, detect coastal staging areas, and provide force protection for visiting U.S. Navy ships. Nichols