Back in 1999 when its 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. aircrafts 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.
aircrafts 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 at the Eloy Alfaro
International Airport in Manta, Ecuador. A "northern drug source zone" FOL 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. This agreement has now expired and the current government of Ecuador has
refused an extension. An interim agreement with the Netherlands for Aruba and Curaçao, was also 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. As of the writing of this article, the US is
looking to replace the Manta Ecuador base with 3 other airbases in Colombia. Political instability in the region
together with ongoing Presidential elections in Colombia has this plan on hold for now.
ARUBA AND CURACAO
Defense Department and Customs Service aircraft have been operating from Curaçao's Hato International
Airport and for the last couple of years on a much lesser scale from Aruba's Reina Beatrix International Airport.
Even in the beginning, the presence in Aruba was 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 feelings 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 coming 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 were building a large facility on
the sister island Curacao and their operation on that island has steadily been increasing of the last few years.
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. aircrafts 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.
aircrafts 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 at the Eloy Alfaro
International Airport in Manta, Ecuador. A "northern drug source zone" FOL 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. This agreement has now expired and the current government of Ecuador has
refused an extension. An interim agreement with the Netherlands for Aruba and Curaçao, was also 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. As of the writing of this article, the US is
looking to replace the Manta Ecuador base with 3 other airbases in Colombia. Political instability in the region
together with ongoing Presidential elections in Colombia has this plan on hold for now.
ARUBA AND CURACAO
Defense Department and Customs Service aircraft have been operating from Curaçao's Hato International
Airport and for the last couple of years on a much lesser scale from Aruba's Reina Beatrix International Airport.
Even in the beginning, the presence in Aruba was 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 feelings 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 coming 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 were building a large facility on
the sister island Curacao and their operation on that island has steadily been increasing of the last few years.
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