ArubaAviation.com U.S. Forward Operating Locations (F.O.L.) role on Aruba

Forward Operating Locations (FOL)

Once its 1999 exit from Panama appeared inevitable, the U.S. military immediately began pursuing another alternative to replace Howard Air Force
Base's counter-drug facilities. U.S. officials began negotiating arrangements to use existing airfields in Central America, the Caribbean and northern
South America as platforms for U.S. counter-narcotics flights. Under these arrangements, which the Defense Department calls "Forward Operating
Locations" or "FOL" U.S. aircraft on detection and monitoring missions have access to foreign airports or air bases. The foreign facilities are owned and
operated by the host country. Small numbers of military, DEA, Coast Guard and Customs personnel are stationed at the FOLs to support the U.S. aircraft
and to coordinate communications and intelligence. Washington decided that three FOLs locations would be needed to replace Howard Air Force Base,
one in South America, one in the Caribbean and one in Central America. All must meet the following requirements, enumerated by U.S. Southern
Command (Southcom) Commander-in-Chief Gen. Charles Wilhelm.

Each site must be night and all weather capable with an air traffic control facility, an 8,000-foot runway with the capability to support small, medium and
heavy aircraft. Each FOL must also have refueling and crash/fire rescue capabilities and minimum ramp, hangar, office, maintenance, and storage space.
The Southern Command has completed agreements for three sites. An Andean region FOL is operating at the Eloy Alfaro International Airport in Manta,
Ecuador. A "northern drug source zone" FOL is at the Reina Beatrix International Airport in Aruba and the Hato International Airport in nearby Curaçao,
Netherlands Antilles. A third Central American FOL is established at the International Airport in Comalapa, El Salvador.

In February 1999 U.S. government teams began negotiations with Ecuador and the Netherlands. An interim agreement for the use of Manta, was reached
with Ecuador on April 1, 1999, and a ten-year agreement was reached in November 1999. An interim agreement with the Netherlands for Aruba and
Curaçao, was concluded through an April 16, 2000 exchange of diplomatic notes; a ten-year agreement was signed in March 2000. In March 2000, the
U.S. and Salvadoran governments signed a ten-year agreement for the Comalapa facility, which was ratified by the legislature on July 7.

All facilities, particularly Manta, have required significant U.S. investments in repairs and infrastructure improvements. In 1999, the Air Force estimated the
full cost of renovation for the Manta, Aruba and Curaçao sites to reach $122.5 million.3 This funding was largely provided by $116 million included in the
appropriation for the United States' large Colombia aid package. This amount will go to improvements at Manta ($61.3 million), Aruba ($10.3 million) and
Curacao ($43.9 million), plus planning and design funds ($1.1 million). El Salvador did not receive funding through this bill because the agreement
between the United States and El Salvador did not get legislative approval until after the bill's passage.

Aruba and Curaçao

Defense Department and Customs Service aircraft have been operating at Curaçao's Hato International Airport and Aruba's Reina Beatrix International
Airport since April 1999. The presence in Aruba is a small one, with two medium and three small aircraft, about fifteen permanently assigned staff and
twenty to twenty-five temporarily deployed operations and maintenance personnel. A U.S. Air Force "Site Activation Task Force" identified some of the
improvements that would be required for the FOL's long-term operation. These included upgrades and pavement improvements to ramps and taxiways
and construction of maintenance and operations facilities.

Effect on Aruba

The presence of the U.S. FOL base at Reina Beatrix International was received with mixed emotions by the Aruban community. The uncertainty of the "real
reason" for this airbase was well debated among Arubans. When F-16's started making low passes over the island and the Aruban airport it only helped
to make even the least skeptical believers that this was more of a military presence then a counter-drug operation. The Aruban people demanded these
flights to be stopped as they made unbelievable loud noises scaring people specially over Oranjestad.

Others found it amusing because not even the Dutch military used (or at least VERY rarely used) these types of fighter aircrafts over or near the island of
Aruba. On several occasions the local airport has been put on high alert because FOL aircrafts came in with technical a/o engine problems and this had
caused some concern among local authorities because Reina Beatrix Intl. receives a lot of commercial aircrafts arriving/departing with tourists. Other
fears by the Aruban people was also a counter attack by the Colombian drug smugglers or the guerilla. However, since the unfortunate 9/11 incident in
the U.S. there has been a steady decrease in the FOL presence at Aruba. Perhaps in part because they are building a large facility on the sister island
Curacao and their operation on that island has steadily been increased.