North Eleuthera MP Alvin Smith called on the Ministry of National Security to account for a dysfunctional Defence Force military jet that has been sitting unused at International Airport for more than six months.
In his contribution to the Police Service Act 2006, Mr Smith wanted to know why millions in public funds had been spent to acquire a plane that was not suitable for surveillance.
No individual on the Defence Force, according to Mr Smith, has passed the qualifying check ride to fly the plane, and therefore, the plane has had to sit on the tarmac.
Additionally, Mr Smith said, the King Air 350 Turbo Prop high altitude aircraft, which is believed to cost around two and a half million dollars, is not good for patrolling the Bahamas because “if you want to patrol in the Bahamas, you would want to be able to fly below 10,000 ft.”
However, this plane, according to Mr Smith, is designed to fly at altitudes above 10,000 ft. Additionally, he said, “flying below 10,000 ft in this craft is very costly, as it will burn more fuel and cause more wear and tear on engines, reducing its life span to about 50 per cent.”
Mr. Smith said he has been advised that this aircraft – to get out of an airport comfortably and safely – needs an approximate minimum length of 4,500 ft, and in this instance, a short take off and landing aircraft would have been more appropriate if one considers the surfaces and short lengths of some Family Island airports.
However, Mark Wilson, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of National Security, defended his ministry and characterized Mr Smith’s comments as a matter of opinion.
Only offering what he was at liberty to disclose at this time, Mr Wilson, first denied claims that the aircraft was still parked at NIA. However, he admitted that Mr Smith was partially right in saying that it had been parked there for awhile, but, he said, it was not parked there anywhere near the six months claimed by Mr Smith.
Saying that the aircraft was operational for a brief period, Mr Wilson told The Tribune that it was only grounded after it experienced some difficuties.
Mr Wilson said that the craft is a military aircraft, but it was registered with the FAA as a civilian aircraft. This caused some confusion. he said and until these issues were ironed out, the craft was grounded.
The matter with the FAA has since been cleared up, he told The Tribune.
According to Mr Wilson, the aircraft next experienced mechanical difficulties, and as the procurement of parts was not such a straightforward matter, it has now been sent abroad to be serviced.
Whether or not the aircraft is appropriate to fly is a matter of opinion, said Mr Wilson.
Answering claims that the force does not have qualified pilots to fly the King Air 350 craft, Mr Wilson said: “We assure the country that the commander of the airwing was specifically trained to fly the aircraft, as he has had specific theoretical and hands-on training. Additionally, there would have to be a person who is qualified to fly second and we have such a person.”
As to the craft’s reconnaissance capabilities not being suitable for the Bahamas, Mr Wilson said Mr Smith’s view is only one view. He explained the other view that was given to government: “If you are dealing with reconnaissance, you don’t want to be flying too low so that the drug boys can see you. If you are looking for slow motion Haitian vessels, that is fine, but if you are looking for bullet fast drug boats, you don’t need to fly at or below 10,000 ft.”
“What has not yet happened, because we have not been in funds to do it, is that the aircraft has to be supplied with modern surveillance equipment that would allow it to do surveillance at an altitude above 10,000 ft., said Mr Wilson.
Mr Wilson said he remembered when the former administration was criticized for its purchase of two large vessels – ï¾ HMBS Nassau and Bahamas.
“The same thing applies to the Defence Force plane,” he said. “You have to take something that is already manufactured and determine, given what we have to do, if this piece of equipment fits that prescription best.
“That is the modality that we used in the purchase of the large boats, and that is the modality that we used in the purchase of the aircraft,” Mr Wilson said. “There are divergent views about the aircraft, and what we did was take the best advice that we could get, and that advice told us that this aircraft would have been the best for the job that we have overall.”
By: Mark Humes, The Tribune
