Curacao/Aruba Forward Operating Locations (FOLs)
Mission:
· Aerial detection and monitoring of suspected air and maritime drug trafficking activities;
· Reporting of illicit trafficking activities to U.S. and international law enforcement authorities for interdiction, apprehension of illicit traffickers and seizure of illicit cargo;
· Part of a larger multinational counterdrug cooperation effort with other countries in the region committed to disrupting these transnational criminal activities in our hemisphere.
Bilateral agreement governing FOL operations:
· The mission of the Forward Operating Locations in Curacao and Aruba is defined in a bilateral agreement between the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba and the United States. In compliance with this agreement, operations carried out at the FOLs are limited to activities that detect and monitor illicit trafficking.
U.S., international personnel support to the FOLs
· Eleven U.S. military personnel are permanently assigned for periods up to one year. These are personnel who fulfill key roles within the FOLs, for example, the Commander of the FOLs.
· Approximately 100 U.S. military personnel are temporarily assigned for periods from about two weeks to six months. Their roles range from aircrew who conduct aerial-counter-illicit-trafficking missions to logistics and maintenance personnel who support the FOL missions on the ground.
· Approximately 61 U.S. citizens and 52 Dutch and Curacao citizens also provide contracted support to the FOLs.
U.S., international aircraft support to the FOLs
· Each FOL can host up to eight aircraft, depending on aircraft or airframe.
· U.S. Aircraft that can support counter-illicit-trafficking missions from the FOLs include the E-3 Sentry (AWACS), P-3C Orion, E-2 Hawkeye and the C-130 Hercules.
Counter-illicit-trafficking activities carried out in 2015 from the Curacao/Aruba FOLs
· 718 sorties (flights) to detect, monitor and report illicit trafficking in the Caribbean Basin for a total of 5,058 flight hours.
Contributions to U.S., international counter-illicit-trafficking efforts in the hemisphere during 2015
· Counter-illicit-trafficking missions carried out from the FOLs contributed to the following seizures of illicit cargo and arrests carried out by U.S. and international partners in the Western Hemisphere during 2015:
139 metric tons of cocaine
30 metric tons of marijuana
664 arrests
· The combined estimated street value of these seizures is more than $3.9 billion. As a result of these seizures, this money will not go to funding the, often extremely violent, criminal activities of drug cartels in the international community.
Economic impact of the FOLs in the local community during 2015
· More than $40 million. Locally procured services and commodities include:
Lodging
Fuel
Rental vehicles
Contracted support
Facilities maintenance
Utilities services
Meals
Other supplies/equipment
FOL personnel support to local community assistance projects during 2015
· 98 major community assistance projects supported in 2015, including assistance to local schools, orphanages and retirement homes.
· More than 650 FOL volunteers contributed approximately 7,000 hours and their skills to improve and repair facilities and grounds in addition to $69,000 US dollars donated. These activities further strengthen the friendship between the United States and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Last update: June 20, 2016