Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BOGOTA1379
2009-04-29 16:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: MARCH 2009 PROGRAM UPDATE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBO #1379 1191620 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 291620Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8517 INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHOND/DIRONDCP WASHDC RUEAWJC/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC QWDQAC/US INTERDICTION COORD WASHDC RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC//ICE/CNO// RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFFQHDC RUMIJTF/DIRJIATF SOUTH KEY WEST FL
UNCLAS BOGOTA 001379
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: MARCH 2009 PROGRAM UPDATE
REF: 2003 STATE 265910
UNCLAS BOGOTA 001379
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: MARCH 2009 PROGRAM UPDATE
REF: 2003 STATE 265910
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. This is the monthly Air Bridge Denial (ABD)
activity report for March, 2009, as required by Reftel. The
Government of Colombia (GOC) sorted 4,698 tracks during December.
Six were declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). One resulted in a
Phase I event with the event ending when the aircraft entered
Venezuelan Territory. Another ended in a law enforcement end game,
but no illegal items were found. END SUMMARY.
--------------
Tracks
--------------
2. (SBU) In March, 2009, there were 4,698 air tracks over Colombia
of which six were declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). Host
Nation responded to all. Three were not located. On March 12, one
crossed the Guajira Peninsula returning from Central America to
Venezuela. It entered into Venezuela shortly after Phase I was
started. The aircraft, a Centurion II, was impounded by Venezuelan
authorities later that day and two crewmembers were arrested. On 20
March, another was visually identified over the Caribbean Sea by a
P-3 and the information was passed on to Central American and
Caribbean Law Enforcement Agencies. The aircraft was later
impounded in Guatemala with weapons and computers being loaded onto
the aircraft. Another UAS was searched after it landed in a
Colombian airfield, but no illegal substances were found.
--------------
Flight Operations
--------------
3. (SBU) In March 2009, the Citations flew 197 hours in 86 sorties
with a 79% OR rate. Of the 86 sorties, 16 were for GOC ABD
intelligence gathering and patrolling; 25 for training; 24 were for
maritime patrolling, 13 were in reaction to GOC-provided
information, four for operational support, and four were non-ABD
missions.
--------------
Nationalization
--------------
4. The intermediate goal of reaching 50% of maintenance training by
the end of March 2009 has been reached. We expect no problems in
training of Colombian Air Force (COLAF) Technicians that will assume
the Citation SR-560 maintenance role Jan 1, 2010. Discussions with
the COLAF SR-26 unit that nationalized the maintenance and logistics
Jan 1, 2009, have showed them ready to continue their own
maintenance.
BROWNFIELD
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: MARCH 2009 PROGRAM UPDATE
REF: 2003 STATE 265910
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. This is the monthly Air Bridge Denial (ABD)
activity report for March, 2009, as required by Reftel. The
Government of Colombia (GOC) sorted 4,698 tracks during December.
Six were declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). One resulted in a
Phase I event with the event ending when the aircraft entered
Venezuelan Territory. Another ended in a law enforcement end game,
but no illegal items were found. END SUMMARY.
--------------
Tracks
--------------
2. (SBU) In March, 2009, there were 4,698 air tracks over Colombia
of which six were declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). Host
Nation responded to all. Three were not located. On March 12, one
crossed the Guajira Peninsula returning from Central America to
Venezuela. It entered into Venezuela shortly after Phase I was
started. The aircraft, a Centurion II, was impounded by Venezuelan
authorities later that day and two crewmembers were arrested. On 20
March, another was visually identified over the Caribbean Sea by a
P-3 and the information was passed on to Central American and
Caribbean Law Enforcement Agencies. The aircraft was later
impounded in Guatemala with weapons and computers being loaded onto
the aircraft. Another UAS was searched after it landed in a
Colombian airfield, but no illegal substances were found.
--------------
Flight Operations
--------------
3. (SBU) In March 2009, the Citations flew 197 hours in 86 sorties
with a 79% OR rate. Of the 86 sorties, 16 were for GOC ABD
intelligence gathering and patrolling; 25 for training; 24 were for
maritime patrolling, 13 were in reaction to GOC-provided
information, four for operational support, and four were non-ABD
missions.
--------------
Nationalization
--------------
4. The intermediate goal of reaching 50% of maintenance training by
the end of March 2009 has been reached. We expect no problems in
training of Colombian Air Force (COLAF) Technicians that will assume
the Citation SR-560 maintenance role Jan 1, 2010. Discussions with
the COLAF SR-26 unit that nationalized the maintenance and logistics
Jan 1, 2009, have showed them ready to continue their own
maintenance.
BROWNFIELD