A UNITED States (U.S.) Air Force airplane arrived in Guyana earlier this week, bringing 20 military personnel to participate in ‘Operation Southern Partner’, an intelligence sharing programme involving seven Caribbean and South American nations.

A U.S. Air Force Officer strolls on the Air Force’s C-130J Hercules aircraft at the GDF Air Corp airstrip last Tuesday.

Media operatives and several students of the local aeronautical school were taken on a tour of the C-130 Hercules aircraft Tuesday, at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Air Corps base in the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri complex.

The American mission is aimed at providing intensive, periodic subject matter exchanges with the air force bases in the participating countries.

Speaking to reporters about it, U.S. Air Force Colonel Rob Weaver said it will enable the U.S. to learn from and share ideas with partners.

He said, during one session with engineers from the local aeronautical school, he was surprised to hear that many of the concerns expressed about flight safety management are very much the same as U.S. experiences.

An Officer of the U.S. Air Force urging local media operatives and aeronautical students into the aircraft during a tour on Tuesday

Weaver said, although the aircraft used by Guyana are much different to those in his country, the challenges are similar.

He said, as they spoke with Guyanese engineers and maintenance people, it was interesting to be informed of the similarity.
U.S. Air Force Publicity Officer Kevin Waltston reiterated that their purpose is, basically, to facilitate an exchange of ideas.

It is not the U.S. coming to teach Guyanese. It is solely a learning exercise, he emphasised.

Waltston said that other Caribbean countries involved are Jamaica, Belize and Trinidad and Tobago, to where they are going next.

He said the U.S. team will, in discussions in those countries’ air forces, cover the gamut of all military specialties, such as aircraft aeronautical engineering, piloting, landing, medical situations, first responder training and surgical techniques.

REQUESTED
Waltston revealed that Guyana had, previously, requested assistance in the area of medical training.

Local Media personnel and students of the local aeronautical school inside the C-130J Hercules (Adrian Narine photos)

“There are some medical equipment needs that Guyana has, such as the equipment that the United States possesses and uses in different areas, in which some additional assistance was requested,” he explained.

Waltston said, though, that this need will not be addressed now, as this mission is solely about intelligence gathering and sharing.

He said one of the major problems mentioned is the lack of updated equipment, pointing to some of the experiences that U.S. military personnel had in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, where they did not have them for treating serious injuries.

Consequently, this information was provided to some of the local hospitals where Waltston believes it will prove beneficial.

Before their stay ends, the visitors are expected to visit a number of Georgetown schools, both primary and secondary, as well as two orphanages in and around the capital city.

A fact sheet posted on the U.S. Air Force website said the primary performance of the C-13O Hercules is in the tactical portion of airlift missions. It is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for airdropping troops and equipment into hostile areas.

It is used throughout the U.S. Air Force, serving with Air Mobility Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Pacific Air Forces, Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Command, fulfilling a wide range of operational missions in both peace and war situations.