from TPD 1999-Nov-23, from Softwar via WorldNetDaily, by Charles Smith:

PLAAF Visits "boosted the Chinese military"

Two powerful House Chairmen are firing hard questions at the Clinton administration concerning reports that were recently published in WorldNetDaily. The reports included U.S. Air Force briefing papers that showed Chinese Army Air Force officers toured Edwards Air Force base in May, 1999.

On November 15, 1999, Chairman of the Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, Dana Rohrabacher and Dan Burton, Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, joined to write a blistering letter to Secretary of Defense William Cohen.

"After reviewing the briefing papers distributed to the Chinese delegation," states the letter to Secretary Cohen. "We are now concerned that under the guise of 'air traffic control,' the U.S. military gave instructions on how our military fighter commands utilize civilian air traffic control for tasks such as 'low level bombing, inflight refueling' and the coordination of AWACS (airborne radar planes) in combat refueling operations."

"It appears that these briefings not only advised the Chinese on how we conduct fighter-bomber operations areas (MOAs), but this will enable them to better develop defenses against our Air Force and Navy aviation operations," wrote Representatives Burton (R-IN) and Rohrabacher (R-CA).

"We are concerned that previous elements of the exchange program that were described as unrelated none-the-less boosted the Chinese military's offensive capabilities," states the letter Secretary Cohen.

"For example, the May 9 to 20, 1999 visit by a Chinese air traffic control delegation included visits to sensitive U.S. Air Force installations, including the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base and briefings on Combat Readiness Air Traffic Control course at Luke Air Force Base in New Mexico."

The two Chairmen sent five specific questions about the People's Liberation Army Air Force visits for Secretary Cohen to answer:

• Was the delegation briefed or did they participate in any air tasking order (ATO) exercises?
  
  
• Did any members of the Chinese delegation ride in U.S. combat aircraft or AWACS or refueling tankers?
  
  
• Was the delegation shown U.S. operational methods in coordination between tankers, AWACS and fighters?
  
  
• Why was the delegation briefed on tactical military air traffic control, which is used in U.S. war fighting? Why were they briefed on TACAN systems on remote deployed battlefields?
  
  
• Why was the Chinese delegation shown the mobile microwave landing system, with is essential elements of information?

The two chairmen also requested that Secretary Cohen produce a known witness to the Chinese military tour of Edwards Air Force Base.

"We request a verbal in-depth briefing on the Chinese delegation's program from Lt. Colonel Jim Robilotta, Director, International Civil Aviation Policy, DOD Policy Board on Federal Aviation," states the letter to Defense Secretary Cohen. "Lt. Col. Robilotta accompanied the Chinese delegation throughout their May visit."

The two Chairmen have given the administration until January 15, 2000 to respond. One Capitol Hill staff member noted that hearings would follow if the questions remained unanswered.

The documents that started the firestorm of questions where obtained using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the Clinton administration. The documents provided to WorldNetDaily show that Chinese officers have been given grand tours of sensitive American military facilities and were briefed on "Combat Readiness."

According to the documents, on 18 May 1999, Sr. Col. Li Zhongli, Sr. Col. Wang Changzheng, and Maj. Wang Shouxing gained entry to Edwards Air Force Base. The Chinese officers also were given access to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma and the United Airlines civil air facilities at Denver Colorado, on a trip sponsored by MITRE Corp., Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

According to Clinton administration documents, on May 14, 1999, USAF Lt. Col. Jim Robilotta accompanied the Chinese officers to Tinker AFB, arriving for lunch with USAF Lt. Col. "(Dorilynn)" Gimondo in the "Daedalian" room.

After lunch, the PLAAF (People's Liberation Army Air Force) and PLAN (People's Liberation Army Navy) officers were given a briefing from "Capt. (Tom) Schmidt, Commander, Airfield Operations, 72 Operational Support Squadron." Capt. Schmidt told the PLAAF how the U.S. Air Force deals with "integration" of "Civil & Military Airspace."

After Capt. Schmidt's briefing, "CMS Sgt (Len) Dorton" then briefed the Chinese delegation on "DOD Testing & Development of Software System for Integration & Interoperability."

The Chinese officers then toured the Tinker AFB control tower, and finished with a fifteen minute rest at the "Tinker AFB Officer's Club (Via Mil Bus)" escorted by Ms "(Nancy)" Lemieux.

On 18 May 1999, Clinton officials gave the Chinese military a guided tour of the Edwards U.S. Air Force base. The tour including radar data, tracking systems and details on USAF military operations. USAF Lt. Col. Bill Frank and Lt. Col. Jim Robilotta accompanied the Chinese on the tour of Edwards, which was sponsored by Lockheed Martin.

The handwritten notes of an unidentified FAA official shows the Chinese military officers were briefed by Bill Shelton from the Defense Dept., and Brent Shively and Phil Strange from the FAA.

According to the handwritten notes, the Chinese were given detailed information on military operations at Edwards AFB. According to the USAF document, "mil uses airspace from 200 to 60,000 feet" and "radars 7 short range 3 long range provide coverage in complex. Lower alt short range at bottoms end - gap fillers look + down valleys where mil likely to fly."

Further notes taken by FAA officials give details on special operations conducted at Edwards, including commercial and NASA research use.

"Companies 'rent a runway' - ie Boeing practices dangerous maneuver," states the handwritten notes on the USAF documents. "2 Ladkebeds used by NASA. For 29,000+ DOD asks for clearance from TRACON - FAA clears out aircraft - after pilot thru w/mission above 29K ft - returns. 60 mile corridor chords row planes practice straight on 'chicken' flying."

Armed with this detailed information, Rohrabacher and Burton are clearly not engaged in a "chicken" contest with the White House, nor are they on a fishing expedition. They are convinced that "Combat Readiness" cannot be considered part of normal commercial airlines operations. Congress is in hot pursuit of the Clinton/Gore military alliance with the Chinese Army.