How Colombia fits into the Pentagon's global strategy ( with giant C-17 aircraft .)

[rabs]

Exactly a week ago on his "alo presidente" program, Chavez announced he had a "White Paper" on U.S. mobile capabilities plans to cover the entire South American continent. Palanquero air base in Colombia is the key factor in South America. Interesting that a graphic at the bottom of the documents lists Palanquero as an EXPEDITIONARY base.

At the UNASUR conference in Bariloche, Chavez revealed the "White Paper's" contents. Have not seen any English-language media coverage so posting it here.

The document is 35 pages long and the PDF version has been scrubbed from the web but was able to find the HTML version. On Friday, a State Department spokesman in Washington dismissed the importance of the "White Paper," saying it was merely "an academic study."


First two paragraphs of the document:

WHITE PAPER AIR MOBILITY COMMAND GLOBAL EN ROUTE STRATEGY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The current strategy for our en route system is based on the results of the 1995 Mobility Requirements Study-Bottom Up Review (MRS-BURU) with refinements by mobility capabilities studies in 2000 and 2005. The Global War On Terror has raised questions on the validity of the current mobility en route system’s sizing and alignment. Furthermore, the evolution of air mobility aircraft, operations, and various stressors on the en route system indicate a need to reevaluate the capabilities required in the en route system. The current National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy provide the baseline for what our mobility strategy should be capable of achieving. The Nation’s emphasis on global alliances, economies and responsibilities mandates global access and especially access to strategically important areas of interest.

Therefore, the goal of the proposed AMC en route strategy is global access allowing the full spectrum of passenger and cargo movement. The Areas of Interest, defined as continuing zones of hostility or instability or areas proneto natural disasters and having the greatest need for airlift support, are identified as Southwest Asia, Southeast Asia, Korea, Africa, Eurasia, and Indonesia. In addition, the resulting strategy accounted for political sensitivities and was optimized for a presumed tight fiscal environment. Finally, while the existing strategy maximizes the operational capabilities of our mobility platforms, the new strategy must accommodate the limitations of services and support in those locations we could be asked to transit.

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Here is the South America portion mentioning Palanquero air base in Colombia (and rejection by Brazil for a base at Recife).


12. SOUTH AMERICAN STRATEGY: Including South America in a global en route strategy accomplishes two results: it helps achieve the regional engagement strategy and assists with the mobility routing to Africa. Unfortunately, a South American engagement strategy that tasks airlift assets is not available. Until recently, security concerns in South America have focused on the counter-narcotics mission. That mission has not required the use of strategic airlift in its prosecution. Recently, USSOUTHCOM has become interested in establishing a location on the South American continent that could be used both for counter-narcotics operations and as a location from which mobility operations could be executed. Consequently, with the assistance of AMC

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and USTRANSCOM, USSOUTHCOM has identified Palanquero, Colombia (German Olano Airfield (SKPQ)), as a cooperative security location (CSL). From this location, nearly half of the continent can be covered by a C-17 without refueling. Should suitable fuel be available at the destination, a C-17 could cover the entire continent, with the exception of the Cape Horn region in Chile and Argentina.

Until such time that USSOUTHCOM establishes a more robust theater engagement plan, the strategy to place a CSL at Palanquero should be sufficient for air mobility reach on the South American continent. In conjunction with the aforementioned CSL, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands offer viable en route locations capable of supporting theater mobility requirements.

Both San Juan and Henry Rohlsen International Airports have resident Air National Guard facilities that currently support mobility operations into South America. Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands have two of the largest sea ports in the Caribbean, minutes away from their respectiveinternational airports facilitating intermodal operations.
Finally, AMC should work closely with USTRANSCOM to establish contracts or agreements with commercial concerns for contingency fuel and aircraft support at airfields in more southern reaches of the continent.

USSOUTHCOM, in an attempt to assist with access to Africa, has postulated that Cayenne, French Guiana, could serve as a possible CSL for an intermediate fuel stop between the CONUS and Ascension.

USSOUTHCOM has also considered access to the airport at Recife, Brazil. A C-17 could depart from this location and, provided fuel is available when they land, cover approximately the same area as an unrefueled C-17 from Ascension. However, the political relationship with Brazil is not conducive to the necessary agreements. Therefore, we recommend that USSOUTHCOM continue to pursue access to the airfield at Cayenne, French Guiana.
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Link to the entire document:

http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:ciCxCd92z3gJ:www.au.af.mil/awc/africom/documents/GlobalEnRouteStrategy.pdf+global+enroute+strategy&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us


C-17 destined to be based in Colombia.



Paratroops on a C-17

[Judi Lynn]

1. Horrendous. This will take some digesting, to come to grips with it. HUGE aircraft.

Here's another photo. God.

http://www.iasa-intl.com.nyud.net:8090/folders/belfast/C17gearupBagram_files/020509_bagram_c17_800.JPG
The very idea of using words like "hostile" as if that means a challenge which must be confronted instead of solving with right actions, and diplomacy, is appalling.

If people are "hostile" it's because they have been harmed. The solution is not to kill them, at that point or to terrorize them further.

Where on earth do these people come from who are running the show?

Sure glad Brazil is becoming even more determined to control its own destiny. Hope this will be pursued after Lula, too. They've come too far to turn back.

What's your take on this, rabs? Is there a good part to it? Yikes!

[Downwinder]

2. The good news is there is no mention of Honduras or

in fact any Central American Base.

Expeditionary = En route location where all maintenance and port capability is provided as the mission dictates and by deployed personnel

Looks like the old supply route for the eastern test range, but without Recife you can't get there. Refueling stop for air delivery or off loading for ground delivery. Where can you get to overland from Palanquero? Colombia, Amazon basin, Venezuela?

The chart is dated 2025, sort of rushing it a little. Today’s En Route System is conveniently left blank. In 2025 the C-17 will be an antique.

[Zorro]

3. Oh please. A C-17 is not a "giant" aircraft

A C-5 is a "giant" aircraft.

And a white paper identifying potential foreign airstrips for use in emergency operations is hardly anything to get riled about; it's called strategic planning.

South American ports and airstrips were used quite a bit by the US during WWII, in case you didn't know.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Ah, yes: the "C-5." Know it well.

Beautiful creation, a modern marvel, the Sinclair C-5. What God hath wrought!