Cablegate: Air Bridge Denial: July 2005 Program Update

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS BOGOTA 007735

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP

E.O 12358: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL MOPS MASS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: AIR BRIDGE DENIAL: JULY 2005 PROGRAM UPDATE

REF: 2003 STATE 265910

1. (U) This is the July 2005 Air Bridge Denial (ABD)
activity report required by Ref A. There was one Phase II
event during this period.

2. (SBU) In July 2005, 4884 tracks were sorted over
Colombia, of which 33 were declared Unknown, Assumed Suspect
(UAS) aircraft. Two of those were identified as friendly.
The GOC did not react to 13 UAS: nine of these 13 had
old/outdated information, two were near international
borders, one was over water, and one was in a weather-
covered area. The GOC did react to 18 UAS, but the tracker
was unable to locate the UAS in 17 of those responses. One
UAS was a Phase II event.

Phase II Event
---------------

3. (SBU) On July 24th, 2005, ROTHR picked up a track in the
Caribbean Sea headed to Colombia. A Citation tracker that
was airborne was diverted to meet the aircraft and then
relieved by another Citation and an A-37 that were scrambled
from Barranquilla. The Citation and A-37 intercepted the
aircraft, but it reached the Venezuelan frontier before
disabling shots could be fired.

4. (SBU) Based on the review of the July 24 event, Post
recommended to the Colombian Air Force that additional
training be provided to the aircrews, battle managers, and
safety monitors on formation join-ups and transition from
one phase to another to expedite and improve the process.

Flight Operations
-----------------

5. (SBU) In July 2005, the Citations flew 192 hours in 73
sorties with an operational readiness of 96 percent. Of the
73 sorties, 50 were for GOC ABD intelligence gathering and
patrolling, five for reaction to USG asset information, five
for reaction to GOC asset information, seven for training,
and six for operational support.

6. (U) The next ABD In Progress Review will be August 31 at
Bogota, Colombia.

WOOD

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