Cablegate: Air Bridge Denial: July 2009 Program Update

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RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUMIJTF/DIRJIATF SOUTH KEY WEST FL

UNCLAS BOGOTA 002763

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: JULY 2009 PROGRAM UPDATE

REF: 2003 STATE 265910

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. This is the monthly Air Bridge Denial (ABD)
activity report for July, 2009, as required by Reftel. The
Government of Colombia (GOC) sorted 2,758 tracks during July. There
were two Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS) for the month. END
SUMMARY.

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Tracks
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2. (SBU) In July, 2009, there were 2,758 air tracks over Colombia
with two declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect (UAS). One UAS did not
enter Colombian Airspace but flew from Venezuela to the Dominican
Republic and returned to Venezuela. Host Nation did not respond
because the UAS did not enter Colombian airspace or the ABD maritime
patrol areas. Host Nation responded to the other UAS that was on
the Caribbean maritime patrol areas but it departed the areas before
the SR-560 could intercept it.

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Maritime missions
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3. (SBU) The ABD SR-26 aircraft coordinated with Colombian Coast
Guard the impoundment of one vessel on July 5 with 6 crew members
arrested and the impoundment of 60 55-gallon drums full of fuel. On
July 29, the ABD SR-26 aircraft coordinated with the Colombian Coast
Guard and Navy from San Andres Island the impoundment of two
vessels. In the first one two individuals were arrested with six
55-gallon drums full of fuel. Later the same day another vessel was
located with a crew of three and suspect cargo. The crew proceeded
to dump the cargo and debarked on the beach, escaping in
motorcycles. The Colombian Navy impounded the vessel.

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Flight Operations
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4. (SBU) In July, 2009, the Citations flew 203 hours in 82 sorties
with a 93% OR rate. Of the 83 sorties, 49 were for GOC ABD
intelligence gathering and patrolling; 22 for training; eight were
for maritime patrolling, two were in reaction to GOC-provided
information, and two for operational support. The SR-26 aircraft
5741 flew 71 hours in 33 sorties. Twenty nine SR-26 sorties were in
support of ABD, of which 14 were maritime missions. Four SR-26
sorties were for non-ABD purposes.

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Nationalization
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5. As of 31 July 2009, most individuals in the maintenance training
program have completed the training program, which had a target
completion date of September 30. Most of those remaining training
items are waiting for an aircraft to undergo the depot-level
maintenance phase in early August to complete training. 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. The next nationalization
phase will be the turning over of logistics and maintenance to the
GOC for the SR-560 January 1, 2010.

BROWNFIELD

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