BLUE LANTERN RESPONSE: END-USER CHECK LICENSE

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000862

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR PM/DTCC MAZZARELLI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC ECON AS
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN RESPONSE: END-USER CHECK LICENSE
050112139

REF: A. SECSTATE 77222

B. CANBERRA 771

C. CANBERRA 715


1. (U) This is an action request, please see para 6.


2. (SBU) Rotorlift Ltd., Tasmania's only helicopter rescue
and patrol operator, appears to maintain adequate security,
record keeping, and positive control over night vision
devices imported from the U.S. (ref A). Econoff conducted a
site visit with RotorLift helicopters in Hobart, Tasmania on
September 11.


3. Rotorlift operates several single and twin-engined
helicopters for both tourism and under contract with
Tasmanian state police authorities to provide medevac, search
and rescue (SAR),coastal patrol, wildfire fighting and other
police missions. Tasmania is the only Australian state where
police-specific aviation operations are carried out by a
private contractor (other state governments contract out SAR,
patrol and medevac to private corporations - ref B).
Rotorlift is the first company in Australia to be licensed by
CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Administration) to use
night-vision devices and conducts training for all other
private operators in Australian jurisdictions and many of the
state police aviation units in their use.


4. (SBU) During the visit, econoff viewed eight night vision
devices used by the company (5 for training and 3 for
operations) stored on the facility in Hobart. Two of these
devices are the set issued under the license in reftel from
Aviation Specialties Unlimited, Inc. (ASU). The three units
for flight operations are stored in a cipher-locked ready
room adjacent to the flight hangar, and the other five units
are stored in a safe at the company's ground school
engineering facility. All units are signed for by the
operational pilot, or, in the case of ground instruction, the
chief engineer. These units are serviced and maintained by
an ITT certified service in Otago, New Zealand.


5. (SBU) Rotorlift Managing Director and chief pilot Roger
Corbin said that the company applies for appropriate
approvals from the Department for shipment of these units to
New Zealand for maintenance. Corbin showed econoff copies of
CASA certification of night-vision goggle use and training
authorization, as well as DSP-83 and other documentation for
importing the units. Corbin stressed that prior to the
company investing in NVG capability, the state of Tasmania,
with mountainous terrain and frequent bad weather, had
limited life-saving aviation capacity, and that the use of
NVGs was now considered critical to any operation, so any
failure to comply with U.S. export laws would be extremely
harmful to both the company and their role. That capability
had been specifically required under their contract from the
Tasmanian police authorities. That contract expires next
year and will be re-tendered, and will again include
night-vision capability as a specific requirement. He gave
U.S. exporter ASU high marks
for stressing the importance of complying fully with legal
requirements and said that the company had been briefed prior
to post contacting them that end-use verification would be a
component of their purchasing these items.

ISSUE RAISED ABOUT COMPETITOR
--------------


6. (SBU) Corbin raised one issue that he said was "delicate".
According to Corbin, who trains instructors for CareFlight
operations in New South Wales (ref C),that company is now
conducting training of other pilots in NVG use. Corbin
alleged that the existing export license for NVGs to
CareFlight did not include training as a stated end use and
had urged the company to amend its license paperwork. Post
requests PM/DTCC review CareFlight's stated use in its
Qrequests PM/DTCC review CareFlight's stated use in its
license and inform us if additional discussions with
CareFlight are necessary.


7. (SBU) The systems serial numbers of the night-vision
devices viewed by econoff are: 21630, 21631, 21632, 21633,
21634, 21635 (imported under case #1012014) and 25330, 25331
(imported under case #050112139).


8. (SBU) Corbin confirmed to econoff that the company
understands that theft, loss or diversion of these items may
be considered to be a violation of 27 USC Sec 2278 and the
ITAR. He also confirmed that Rotorlift understands its
obligation to seek a new license to resale or transfer these
items in the future.

CLUNE