Colombian Naval Aviation (AVNA)
In the 1990s the Colombian Naval Aviation (Aviacion Naval - AVNA) restructured its mission to meet the demands of the country’s security. From a strategically oriented component, naval aviation turned into a tactical element, diverting and specializing parts of its resources to support COLMAR’s mission inside Colombian territory. Over time, the troops’ high-mobility demands and logistical needs highlighted COLNAV’s limitations in air equipment. Therefore, almost since its new role was implemented, AVNA’s command realized the need for larger aircraft to support COLMAR’s operations. The Colombian Navy performs Counter drug duties using both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft.
Maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), which provide long range surface maritime surveillance, is in critically short supply. MPA flying in support of ships significantly increases the probability of detection. To elaborate, typically MPA use a search box that is 75 x 150 nautical miles to find a go-fast. A ship on patrol within this box has about a 9% chance of detecting a go-fast boat as the ship's radar does not 'see' over the immediate horizon. However, if the ship has a helicopter, it can extend the horizon from the ship and increases the probability of detection to approximately 20%. If MPA are able to provide a maritime patrol aircraft to help cue the ship and helicopter, the probability of detection increases to approximately 70%. The value of MPA and its contribution to the success rate can not be overstated.
The House of Representatives approved 13 March 2006 an amendment to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act that increased assistance to Colombia for maritime counter-drug interdiction efforts. Co-authored by U.S. Reps. Henry J. Hyde (R-IL) and Dan Burton (R-IN), the amendment provided $26 million for three refurbished, modernized DC-3 aircraft to the Colombian Navy for multi-functional maritime patrols. The reconditioned aircraft, despite their age, are unsurpassed in their ability to operate missions of more than 10 hours and land on short unimproved runways which are typically found in rural and coastal communities in Colombia. Subsequently, the emergency supplemental appropriations which was enacted on 15 June 2006 $13,000,000 for procurement of an unspecified maritime patrol aircraft for the Colombian Navy.
In March 2007 the US Department of State's Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Office of Aviation (A) announced a requirement for a medium lift, fixed wing airplane to support the COLNAV mission of maritime patrol supporting counter-narcotic operations. The aircraft proposed for this request must have the performance and equipment required for meeting or exceeding the mission requirements listed in the specification. The proposed airframe is to be new or freshly overhauled / remanufactured with equipment specific to the COLNAV mission and with minor aircraft modifications as may be required.
The Piper Pa-31-350 Navajo is the Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) workhorse for their efforts. Upgrades to these aircraft have been the addition of a FLIR Systems, Inc. SeaFlirT forward looking infrared and TV camera system, state of the art Garmin 400 series Moving map GPS navigation and communications equipment, Bendix 1400C Surface Search radars, and Tadaran spread spectrum VHF communications radios. During the upgrade process, the cockpit lighting systems were converted to be night vision goggle (NVG) compatible. Additionally, the Navajo ARC 508 underwent an extensive airframe and power plant inspection and repair cycle. Extended range fuel tank system capability was restored; landing gear and other airframe systems were inspected and repaired to make all systems airworthy to FAA standards.
The close-in tactical prosecution of counter drug targets is the work of the COLNAV Bell 412 helicopter. The COLNAV operate four Bell 412 aircraft and one Bell 212. The improvements to these aircraft included the same FLIR, Garmin nav/comm., radars, and Tadaran systems as were installed in the fixed wing piper aircraft. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) navigation is extremely important in rural Colombia where conventional navigation equipment is sparse. This has given the Colombian Navy the benefits of common training for operators, pilots and technicians. Additionally, it has reduced their infrastructure needed to warehouse spares. All of the line replaceable units (FLIR turrets, electronic control units, etc) can easily be moved from one aircraft to another to maintain mission readiness. This capability was lacking before these upgrades. During the initial upgrade analysis, it was discovered that the Bell 412 helicopters had the factory installed plumbing and fittings to receive standard extended range fuel tanks. A sore spot with these aircraft included inadequate range needed to fly extended patrols, and short "on-station" time. CDTDPO remedied this problem by directing their contractors to procure, overhaul, and provide extended range tanks to the COLNAV. The Colombian Navy has recorded several interdictions resulting in arrests as a direct result of the capabilities gained by CDTDPO and Plan Colombia upgrades.
Familiarization flights at the contractors facilities in the US gave the COLNAV instructor pilots and systems operators the knowledge needed to immediately employ their new capabilities in the Navajo aircraft. The Colombian Navy had previously been operating FLIR systems of different manufacture. They quickly adapted to the new systems ease of operation and enhanced software features. The Garmin navigation and communications equipment was introduced by the use of familiarization flights and the Computer based Training information provided by the manufacturer. Again, because of the systems commonality between all of the upgraded aircraft, training of technicians was only required for a small number of lead technicians. Upgrades to the Bell 412 helicopters were done in Colombia at COLNAV facilities. The COLNAV technicians participated in the installation and test of virtually all of the upgrade equipment. This team arrangement enabled excellent communication and training.
COLNAV’s ground forces’ additional air requirements were defined in terms of two heavy helicopters permanently deployed, one on the Pacific coast and another on the Atlantic, witha minimum transportation capacity of 24 soldiers, fully equipped, or 4 tons of payload. After a market study in the country, it was determined that the helicopter that best fit these requirements (and was also currently operating in Colombia) was the Russian MI-17. This decision was supported by the fact that the Colombian Army (COLAR), an enthusiastic operator of this type of aircraft, reported outstanding operating performance in all weather conditions of the Colombian topography.
COLNAV decided to outsource the required service instead of purchasing the aircraft. The Colombian Navy (COLNAV) outsourced flight services from a private companysince 2003 in order to provide transportation for troops and military cargo as well as general logistical support. The Colombian Naval Aviation’s (AVNA) lack of proper equipment to perform these types ofmissions in a cost-efficient manner required the senior naval command to sign iterative contracts, over four years, with a private contractor, one of the two companies with such capacity in the country, and theonly one with the available resources to accomplish the contracts’ terms. Such limitations have developed a highly-dependent relationship with one supplier, resulting in a non-beneficial agreement for COLNAV, especially with sensitive security implications, considering the internal Colombian context generated by the Narco-terrorist Organizations (ONT) within the national borders.
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