Cessna Citation

[Chris Kennedy]

I didn't see a category for military Citations, so I added this one. Administrators should feel free to change the heading if it isn't appropriate.

This is an old one, but I thought it would be of interest. It is a Fuerza Aerea Colombiana (Columbian Air Force) Cessna Citation V at Montgomery Field, San Diego. I think it was there for maintenance. I believe it was a present from the State Department. It is assigned (or was two years ago) to Comando Aéreo de Combate No.3 (CACOM 3). Believe it or not, these guys have their own website.

http://www.fac.mil.co/index.php?idcategoria=106

[Joe Copalman]

Wow, I thought for sure we had a C-35 thread, but you're right (I did discover two B-1 threads though).  Thanks for getting the party started.

Looks like the exact same airframe/sensor fit as the customs birds.  Very cool catch.  Lots of money and hardware was tossed at Colombia earlier in the decade.

[Chris Kennedy]

Many people don't know that the State Department operates their own air wing for counter-narcotics operations. There is an article listed below about their operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan that also mentions South American operations.

This aircraft was registered to the State Department from 2004 to 2008, at which time it was handed over to the Columbians. I assume it was part of their air wing operations, which would explain the similarity of equipment to CBP aircraft.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/04/state-department-flies-mercenary-air-force-over-pakistan/

[Joe Copalman]

Interesting.  I was under the impression that DOS stood down their air wing last year, as most of their aircraft have been passed on to other agencies and museums over the past few months.  Very interesting stuff, I always wondered why State had the jurisdiction for international counternarcotics stuff. 

[Barry Griffiths]

 
Cessna UC-35D Citation Encore BuNo 166767 c/n 560-0696 US Marines MTS-1 "Roadrunners" MCAS Cherry Point, NC by Barry Griffiths CAD, on Flickr

[bilwor]

Cessna UC-35C Citation Ultra V 165740 EZ VMR-4 NAS JRB New Orleans formerly N5091J
KTUS 04/03/13