The total represents almost half of what the US gave Colombia last year. The Ministry of Defense communications strategy alone wiped out $2.4 million.

'Mercenaries' is a term they dislike and which in some cases may be inappropriate. They prefer to be known as 'contractors' serving the US government.

We're talking about private companies employing retired military, former CIA and FBI agents, amongst others, to operate on behalf of Washington in the world's most complex wars.

So far, the details of just who they are and what these 'mercenaries' do have remained a complete mystery, though various legends have been woven around them.

Nevertheless, and in view of compromising situations - like the February crash in the Colombian forests of a Cessna carrying 4 of these contractors - a small window on their obscure world has opened.

For the first time, the US Congress ordered the State Dept. - appealing to the proper transparency - to present a weekly report with details of the companies' functions, the sums they receive, existing plans to transfer their responsibilities to Colombia and the risks their employees face.

EL TIEMPO is familiar with this first report, from which it transpires that 17 companies offered their services in Colombia last year. Their activities range from erecting radar and training pilots to monitoring the dense Colombian forests. Some, like Lockheed- Martin, were awarded 8 different contracts. In most cases, it will take years for the country to absorb and assimilate their functions. At least 300 personnel entered and left Colombia last year.

Lockheed-Martin along with Dyncorp, for example, are or have been involved in conflict in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Others overfly sensitive airspace like the maritime limits of North Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

But there are also some like Rendon Group which, at a cool $2.4 million devise and develop the communications strategy of the Ministry of Defense.

Half of Plan Colombia

Although their presence in Colombia dates back to the 1980's, the 'contractors' role began to grow in the mid '90s when the US decided to invest huge resources in combatting the drugs trade.

With the birth of Plan Colombia in 2000, the 'contractors' role expanded dramatically. Just last year these companies received over 150 million dollars in payment for operations within the country. That is, almost 50% of the 370 million which the US spent on Colombia during 2002 to finance military and police operations, fell into their hands.

But much remains hidden. As it concerns a matter of national security, the report does not detail, for example, the role of contractors who work directly for the Pentagon, which spends another 100 million a year on Colombia.

New light is being shed on a growing phenomenon. Many see it as a method of controlling State bureaucratization and keeping the US presence out of the limelight. Using US government uniforms or personnel to carry out dangerous missions, would place the country in check whenever something goes wrong. For others, these 'contractors' are simply the ones doing the "dirty work".

And for these reasons, perhaps, the US government is not slow to put its hand in its pocket. While a US Army official can earn $40,000 a year, a contractor receives at least twice as much. It's estimated that annually they make over 100 billion, world wide.

[source: Sergio Gómez Maseri, El Tiempo, Washington,19jun03]

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The Contractors in Colombia

These are the firms to which the US State Dept. has contracted logistical and operative military and police work in Colombia:

Lockheed-Martin
1. Logistical support for the operations of 4 C-130B and C13-H troop transport aircraft. Four technicians train and assist Colombian Armed Forces (FAC) personnel. Value: $4,216,748. They work in Bogota. There is no plan to transfer their functions to Colombians until 2008, at least.

2. Personnel to maintain and support the fleet of Black Hawk helicopters given to the Police. Value: $2,128,663. Employees: 6. Primarily stationed in the Guaymaral Air Base. There are no plans to transfer the programme since the Police have neither the technical capacity nor the finances to maintain the equipment.

3. Personnel for maintenance and logistics of the Police Air Service aircraft. Value: $3,133,431. Employees: 150. Colombian personnel are being trained but the programme is not expected to be transferred quickly.

4. Obtaining instructors to train Army pilots to operate UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Value: $813,000. Based in Tolemaida.6 employees. The work is already complete but there are no Colombian instructors who could carry out training in future.

5. Instructors to train Army pilots to operate UH-2H Huey helicopters in combat missions. Value: $3,600,000. Based in Tolemaida.6 contractors.

6. Two instructors for the training of a Technical Assistance Team to monitor the training programme for Black Hawk and Huey helicopters. Value: $1,700,000. Based in Tolemaida.

7. Installing and maintaining Type 2b24 Synthetic Flight Training System (SFTS) flight simulators for training Huey 1 and 2 helicopter pilots. It began in March this year. In 2004 another simulator for Huey 2's will be installed. Both in Melgar. It will serve to minimize the risks of flight in mountainous zones. Value: $7,500,000. Two permanent maintenance contractors and 12 more for installation.

8. Installation of force protection systems - equipment to detect intruders, in Villa Garzón and Guaymaral. Value: $3,525,077. Employees: 25. Due to end in July but requiring future maintenance.

DynCorp Aerospace Technologies, Inc.
1. Pilots, technical and maintenance personnel to support the Army Anti-Narcotics Brigade and the Police eradication programme. They fly Black Hawks and Huey II helicopters donated by the US. Value: $79,200,000. Colombian pilots and technicians are being trained, but the programme will not be transferred for "several years". "Significant" risks as they operate in conflict zones.

2. Training Army pilots in the use of night vision for Black Hawk missions. The work has already finished and currently Colombian instructors trained in Fort Ruker, Alabama, carry out this work. Value: $1,292,000. Six contractors in Tolemaida.

DynCorp Aerospace Operations, Ltd.
Advisors for the training programme for antinarcotic dogs, fuel specialists, accountants, secretaries, drivers and various others serving the Army, the Police eradication programme, Inpec and the antinarcotics section of the US Embassy. Value: $4,875,017. There are no funds for transferring the programme.

Arinc, Inc.
1. Maintenance and logistial support for the Police C-26 aircraft and for associated intelligence equipment. Value: $1,146,826. At this time it cannot be transferred.

2. Pilots and ground personnel. Training and logistical support for interception of narcotraffic flights. Value: $3,557,929. Although they are in the line of fire, the risk is thought to be low as they are forbidden to fly combat missions with C-560 aircraft.

Aerial and ground missions, as with the maintenance of airliners and the training of pilots and operators are tasks which could be transferred to Colombia. This could take two years. However the contractors will have to remain in the country because the aircraft will remain US property. Regarding basic training for airliners, there is no way to transfer the programme to the FAC as it requires pilots to participate in air safety courses given with flight simulators.

3. Constructing systems to supply petrol at six Police runways. Value: $1,549,309. Low risk, but in dangerous areas. Completed this month but will need to be maintained in future (from the Dept. of Defense).

TRW
Purchase, installation, handover, testing, documentation and support for an information processing radar system and a communications system. Antidrugs and counterinsurgency intelligence. Value: $4,300,000. Needs a transition programme for the FAC to maintain and operate.

Matcom
Coordinating activities between the US Air Force and Colombia. Specifically intelligence missions with antidrugs aims. The contractor resides permanently in Colombia. Value: $120,000.

Cambridge Communcations
Moving radar and equipment from Leticia to the Tres Esquinas base. Value: $450,000.

Virginia Electronic Systems, Inc. (VES)
Installing equipment on Navy river patrol boats. Value: $150,000. High risk, as located in the forest.

Air Park Sales and Service, Inc. (APSS)
Delivery and installation of communications equipment for Navy aircraft. Giving technical assistance for the Schweizer SA 2-37B aircraft. Value: $1,100,000. Cartagena, Bogotá, Apiay. Ends this month.

Integrated AeroSystems, Inc.
1. Train the FAC to use the Schweizer SA 2-37B and aircraft with flight noise suppression system (LANAS). Apiay, Barranquilla, Cali. Value: $560,000.

2. Furnish responses and LANAS components. Value: $50,000.

3. Train FAC pilots to operate AC-47 aircraft. Value: $35,000. Apiay. Due to end mid-year.

ARINC Engineering Services, LLC
Refit six FAC 0-47 aircraft for conversion to AC-47T. Install night vision and optic sensors. Likewise for A-37. Value: $11,000,000. In Barranquilla.

Northrop Grumman California Microwave Systems
Operate an aerial system to collect intelligence images (IMINT) and Intelligence Communications (COMINT). In other words take aerial photographs in areas of conflict and narcotraffic, and intercept communications. The information is transferred to the Southern Command Reconnaisance System which acts as a platform and which, for its part, shares the information with the Colombian authorities. The company provides aircraft, maintenance, equipment and pilots. The risk - as shown with the crash of the light aircraft carrying 4 Americans and a Colombian in territory controlled by the FARC - is considered "high". Since then, pilots participating in the programme receive courses on forest survival and antiterrorism. Value: $8,600,000. No plan to transfer these activities.

Alion, LLC
Consultants responsible for improving the capacity of the Colombian state to collect and process intelligence information. Value: $20,000. Bogotá.

Rendon Group
Advising the Ministry of Defense to manage and develop its communications strategy. Producing documents for the Army and Police to understand and explain Plan Colombia. Value: $2,400,000. Bogotá.

ACS Defense
1. Provide logistical support and advise US Embassy personnel who participate in Plan Colomba. Value: $517,035. Bogotá.

2. Logistical support to a high level US government official regarding Plan Colombia. Value: $237,810. Bogotá.

INS
Logistical support and advising Embassy personnel. Value: $196,000.

Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC)
Analysis of intelligence images, regarding the security of the Embassy and its personnel. Value: $255,335.

ManTech
Managing information databases of various agencies involved in Plan Colombia and circulating them to furnish the authorities with "real time" information. Supply, training and usage of communications interception and image collection equipment. Focused on the work of the DEA. Value: $2,146,692. Has been in Colombia since 1990.

[source: Diario El Tiempo, Bogotá, Col,20jun03]

translation: greg