Cablegate: Blue Lantern End-Use Check for Case 050107693

VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0277 2650332
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220332Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0142

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000277

SIPDIS
STATE FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR AND EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC NZ
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN END-USE CHECK FOR CASE 050107693

REF: 09 STATE 77369; 2006 BLUE LANTERN GUIDEBOOK

1. In response to reftel, PolOff conducted a Blue Lantern post
shipment check of Garden City helicopters on September 14, 2009.
This helicopter rescue company is a legitimate business operating
under contract with the New Zealand government's Accident
Compensation Corporation, and it has land and sea rescue
responsibility for the northern half of New Zealand's south island.
PolOff witnessed a signed contract and a current business license.

2. Garden City Helicopters is home-based in Christchurch, NZ and
has been in business for 25 years. John Currie is its sole
proprietor, and in addition to his Christchurch headquarters, he
has flight operations in Greymouth on the west coast and Nelson in
the northern part of the island. This company uses night vision
devices (nvd) primarily for night rescue and medical evacuation
operations over land. Management understands the restrictions on
United States Munitions List items, especially the prohibition
against unauthorized re-transfer and re-export.

3. All nvds are kept in a safe within a locked facility when not
in use, and only pilots and paramedics who are trained to use them
have access to the safe. PolOff inspected the Christchurch
facility and verified that four ITT Model F4949F, Gen III ANVIS 9
Aviator Night Vision Goggles (serial numbers: 11921, 11923, 25326,
and 25327) plus associated hardware were present. Garden City
Operations Manager, Stuart Farquhar shared digital photographs of
the Greymouth and Nelson facilities' security systems, and PolOff
was convinced that security is substantially equivalent at all
three sites. Two ITT nvds reside at Greymouth (serial numbers
21616 and 21617), and Garden City's final four nvds (serial numbers
21618, 21619, 25328, and 25329) are kept at the Nelson facility.
CLARKE

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