TOPICS OF INTEREST
FORWARD OPERATING LOCATION (FOL) – MANTA, ECUADOR
FOL MISSION
In 1999 the U.S. and Ecuador signed a bilateral agreement that permits the United States to use a portion of the Ecuadorian Eloy Alfaro Air Force Base in Manta as a Forward Operating Location (FOL) to conduct counternarcotics flights. The agreement expires in November 2009. The FOL is an important part of the ongoing cooperation between the U.S. Government and the Government of Ecuador to combat the transnational threat of drug trafficking and protect Ecuador, its citizens and institutions from the negative impact of international drug traffickers. In July 2008, the Government of Ecuador informed the U.S. Government that it will not renew the agreement. The United States will meet its obligations under the bilateral agreement and will cease operations and depart from the FOL in full accordance with that agreement.
COUNTERNARCOTICS OPERATIONS
The mission of the FOL is limited to counternarcotics. Some of the flights are conducted by U.S. non-military government agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Patrol, which are part of the Department of Homeland Security. Other flights are conducted by the Air Force and Navy. The aircraft are not armed. The missions provide information for U.S. Coast Guard and partner country sea-based interdiction operations but do not themselves engage in those operations.
The information gathered by counternarcotics flights out of the FOL is analyzed by the Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-South), an interagency and international task force in Key West, Florida, consisting of different departments of the U.S. Government and liaison officers from 12 countries, including Ecuador. On the basis of the information received from the FOL and other sources, JIATF-South is able to provide guidance to U.S. and Latin American authorities so they can carry out interdiction operations.
DRUG CAPTURES
In 2008, the FOL supported over 822 counternarcotics missions. This enabled the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force South (JIATF-SOUTH) and partner nations to interdict and/or seize over 229 metric tons of cocaine with an estimated street value of 4.57 billion dollars.
PERSONNEL
There are approximately 15 full-time U.S. personnel who work at the FOL to support the counternarcotics flights. Depending on the number of flights at any given time, additional pilots, crew members and other U.S. support personnel might be situated at the FOL for brief periods. On average 200 U.S. military representatives support flight operations. All U.S. military and U.S. civilian personnel present at the FOL support its operations only. In addition to U.S. personnel, approximately 150 Ecuadorian employees working at the FOL offer support services such as maintenance, food service, medical and firefighting services. The FOL’s full-time Ecuadorian employees include persons with physical challenges whom the FOL is helping to integrate into the workforce through an innovative program.
INVESTMENT
The U.S. Government invested over U.S. $71 million in initial construction and infrastructure as improvements to the Eloy Alfaro Airport in Manta in order to support the counternarcotics flights. In addition to improvements to the runway (now considered a first-class, category 10 runway which can support a wide range of flights), the U.S. Government has invested in modern lighting and improvements to the grounds of the airport.
The FOL injects over U.S. $6.5 million annually into the local economy of Manta. This investment includes important operating costs for the airport, such as over $2 million to operate the Manta FOL Fire Department and approximately $200,000 in airport maintenance costs.
SECURITY
The FOL’s modern, state-of-the-art fire and emergency response teams contribute to the safety of the Eloy Alfaro Airport and the Manta community.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
The FOL provides financial support to multiple local charities as part of its goal to be good citizens and guests in Manta. U.S. personnel help tutor English in a local community center and support charities including orphanages and a school for children with disabilities.
