Air Bridge Denial: August 2009 Program Update

UNCLAS BOGOTA 003070 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO SUBJECT: Air Bridge Denial: August 2009 Program Update REF: 2003 STATE 265910 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. This is the monthly Air Bridge Denial (ABD) activity report for August, 2009, as required by Reftel. The Government of Colombia (GOC) sorted 2,880 tracks during August. There were three Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS) for the month. END SUMMARY. -------------- Tracks -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In August, 2009, there were 2,880 air tracks over Colombia with three declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). Host nation did not locate two of the UAS. Information on the other UAS was passed on to Guatemalan authorities. The aircraft aborted its initial landing attempt when they sighted law enforcement authorities at the landing airfield. They landed in another area and left the aircraft. Guatemalan authorities impounded the aircraft, five weapons, and 728 kilos of cocaine. -------------- Maritime Missions -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On August 2, 2009, an SR-560 deployed to San Andres island coordinated with the Colombian Navy to impound a small vessel with two crewmembers and over four million dollars. Both Crewmembers were arrested. ¶4. (SBU) During a maritime patrol in the Pacific Ocean on August 4, 2009, the SR-26 located a vessel with six crewmembers and 58 55-gallon drums. They guided a Colombian Coast Guard Midnight Express to the area. The Coast Guard members arrested the six crewmembers and impounded the vessel. The containers were full with gasoline. -------------- Flight Operations -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In August, 2009, the Citations flew 241 hours in 100 sorties with an 88% OR rate. Of the 100 sorties, 70 were for GOC ABD intelligence gathering and patrolling; four for training; 17 were for maritime patrolling, two were in reaction to GOC-provided information, and seven for operational support. The SR-26 aircraft 5741 flew 50 hours in 22 sorties. Twenty one SR-26 sorties were in support of ABD, of which 18 were maritime missions. One SR-26 sortie was for non-ABD purposes. -------------- Nationalization -------------- ¶6. As of August 31, 2009, only one maintenance individual has not completed the training program, which has a target completion date of September 30. We expect to have all individuals in maintenance training complete by early September. Logistics and maintenance for the SR-26 was turned over to the GOC effective January 1, 2009. BROWNFIELD BROWNFIELD