AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: JANUARY 2009 PROGRAM UPDATE

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000477 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: JANUARY 2009 PROGRAM UPDATE REF: 2003 STATE 265910 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. This is the monthly Air Bridge Denial (ABD) activity report for January, 2009, as required by Reftel. The Government of Colombia (GOC) sorted 4,720 tracks during January of which two were declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). There was one Phase III event that transitioned to a ground Law Enforcement End Game with the aircraft being impounded in an illegal airfield. The other UAS ended in a ground Law Enforcement End Game, but the aircraft was released when no illegal substances were found. END SUMMARY. -------------- Tracks -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In January, 2009, there were 4,720 air tracks over Colombia of which two were declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). Host Nation responded to both UAS. On January 13, CNP responded to the landing site of the first UAS. The aircraft was searched with no illegal items found. On January 22, the second UAS, an ultra light tail number HJ-213, was seen flying without a flight plan eastbound on the Guajira peninsula near the Venezuela border. An SR-560 tracker and an A-37 intercepted the UAS. Phases I and II were completed with no response. Phase III was authorized but the Citation had to refuel and the COLAF ended the event at that point. Search for the UAS continued for the next few days and it was located on January 26 hidden under trees adjacent to an illegal runway. Colombian National Police "Junglas" were transported to the site in a Colombian Air Force helicopter and proceeded to impound the aircraft. -------------- Flight Operations -------------- ¶3. (SBU) In January, 2009, the Citations flew 171 hours in 70 sorties with an 80% OR rate. Of the 70 sorties, 29 were for GOC ABD intelligence gathering and patrolling; 13 for training; 13 were for maritime patrolling, eight were in reaction to GOC-provided information, six for operational support, and one was a search-and-rescue non ABD mission. BROWNFIELD