"The company's services right from deployment up to now have
enabled us to achieve what many critics looked at as a mission
impossible, DynCorp International stood with us even during the
most challenging time of the deployment and did not waver even when
one of the aircraft was shot at."
- Lt. Gen. Wamala
The Uganda People's Defense Forces
Commander of Land Forces
Somalia had been without a stable government for nearly 20
years, and since the withdrawal of U.N. peacekeeping forces in the
mid '90s, it had suffered civil strife, war, and a prolonged
humanitarian crisis. Uganda, and Burundi provided contingents of
soldiers for the African Union (AU) Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM), but faced serious equipment, deployment, and
sustainability challenges.
The U.S. Department of State (DoS) committed to the African Union
to provide the mobilization, materiel, and sustainment resources
the peacekeepers would need to carry out their mission. Needing a
proven implementation partner, DoS chose DynCorp International (DI)
- the company which, over the years, has successfully taken
on and fulfilled many of their most challenging missions across the
globe.
In January 2007, the DoS contracted DI to equip, deploy,
sustain, and train all AU peacekeepers from the Ugandan and
Burundian contingents of AMISOM. The initial task was to equip and
transport the vanguard force of 1,650 Ugandan Peoples Defense Force
(UPDF) soldiers into Mogadishu.
DI was also tasked with training UPDF/FDN forces on U.S.-furnished
technical equipment; training and deploying a UPDF Marine unit; and
procuring and delivering security and transport items of the Somali
National Reconciliation Council. DI had also entered into separate
contractual agreements with the United Kingdom Foreign and
Commonwealth Office to obtain and transport military and
non-military materiel to the deployed UPDF contingent.
DI responded to DoS's mandated tasks supporting Somalia
Peacekeeping Operations, and African Union (AU) logistics
operations. Our seasoned professionals, working together with
local/national, and regional personnel and businesses provided a
wide range of rapid-response ground and air deployment, sustainment
and operational support services, including extensive maintenance
of the equipment fleet, to AMISOM in their efforts to stabilize
Somalia. The provision and management of long-range supply chain
operations, equipment maintenance, construction, medical
evacuation, and training successfully sustained the first
UN/AU-approved peacekeeping forces in Somalia in 12 years.
More than 12,000 AU peacekeepers were moved into or out of Somalia;
more than 15 million pounds of cargo transported by air, rail, and
sea; and more than 280 air sorties flown into Mogadishu and the
region on DI operated aircraft. In addition we provided
maintenance support for the AMISOM equipment fleet
- comprising approximately 1,200 items including armored
vehicles; light to large trucks; heavy mechanical handling and
construction equipment; marine craft (RHIBs); assorted trailers;
and an extensive range of generator sets, refrigeration units,
ROWPUs, and water pumps. The maintenance system was supported by a
procurement team that sourced, procured and delivered a significant
range of repair parts in excess of $10 million. The DynCorp
Workshop also provided basic and advanced technical training for
the AMISOM workshop personnel.
Overall we provided over 80 percent of the AMISOM fleet, by
delivering and managing over 100 new and remanufactured commercial,
military, and armored vehicles. Our engineers, mechanics, and
trainers spent months in Mogadishu working with the contingents on
inspections, mechanics training, operator training, ongoing repair,
and motor-pool mentoring. Our supply-chain expertise allowed for
over $10 million in spare parts to be identified, sourced, and
delivered within specified timeframes.
Our team of Somalia Peacekeeping operators based in Kampala, Uganda
and Mogadishu, Somalia managed efficient and pragmatic operations
that give continuity and credibility to DoS operations in support
of AMISOM. We developed a special relationship as AMISOM's de facto
quartermaster.
DI maintained a support office in Mogadishu that handled
Somalia-based requirements. This office consisted of an Operations
Manager, a Maritime/Security Officer, a Burundi Liaison Officer,
and a maintenance workshop. This office had a well established
relationship with key AMISOM staff that used DI as the first point
of call to resolve logistic problem areas.
DI operated a large vendor network throughout Somalia, and Africa,
that provided expertise and resources to staff and manage our
projects. We achieved numerous benefits from our engagement with
local and regional nationals and companies. These included the
benefits of reducing costs and streamlining operations.
Partnerships with local businesses accomplished the mission and
contributed to economic development, capacity building, stability,
improved cultural relations, and risk mitigation; all of which were
inherent goals of any humanitarian operation.
All AMISOM peacekeepers from troop-contributing countries were
deployed safely, well equipped, and on time. While peacekeeping
missions worldwide were experiencing severe deployment delays, DI
was able to transport the first AMISOM peacekeepers into Somalia
within a month of the U.N. Security Council's authorization. AMISOM
peacekeepers enjoyed completely outfitted field camps, fleets of
vehicles, and continuous sustainment of food and medicine - all
procured, delivered, and set up by DI.
DI personnel also formed excellent working relationships with
the military leadership in troop-contributing countries, and almost
fully integrated themselves as AMISOM's quartermaster and
air-transport corps. This seamless integration of donor-funded
contractors with national contingents and African Union structures
was reflected in an operation that suffered no major
logistical difficulties.
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