European airports fear end of duty free sales in 1999
     BRUSSELS, Belgium Sept. 11, 1997 -- Scrapping duty and tax free
 sales in 1999 would hit profits at airports around Europe and could
 force them to sharply raise charges, an industry body warned on
 Thursday.
     Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, representing 361
 European airports, called on European Union member states to urgent-
 ly reconsider plans to end such sales, saying it would lead to
 losses of much-needed jobs.
     "These detailed studies ... show clearly that the abolition of
 duty and tax free sales to air and sea travelers within the European
 Union will destroy employment, harm the consumer and benefit abso-
 lutely no one," said Willi Hermsen, President of ACI Europe. Hermsen
 is also president of the Munich airport.
     EU finance ministers decided in 1991 to scrap tax and duty free
 sales, despite intense opposition from industry. To overturn that
 decision, they would need to agree unanimously.
                 Serious blow to profitability
     ACI Europe published the results of several studies commissioned
 by the European Travel Research Foundation (ETRF).  One of them said
 that the end of tax and duty free sales would lead to a loss of up
 to 81 percent of gross profits from the current sales level for air-
 ports taking part in the survey, affecting airports' ability to
 finance investments.
     "This discontinuation of the stable flow of investments which
 have financed the airport development in the past several decades
 will jeopardize the further growth of airports to meet the demand
 of the liberalized European air transport market."
     "To offset the fall in profitability, airport charges would have
 to be increased by between 20 and 40 percent if airports are to be
 able to finance their continuing expansion from internal sources,"
 it added in a statement.
     Airports would also suffer from the overall negative impact the
 abolition of duty free sales would have on the travel industry,
 highlighted by other air transport studies.
     Industry has recently stepped up lobbying against the planned
 abolition of tax and duty free sales. In June, European shipowners
 predicted the move would destroy 50,000 jobs.
     Despite such warnings, the European Commission has repeatedly
 said the scrapping of these sales would go ahead as planned in June
 1999, insisting they are not in line with the bloc's single market.
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     The EC-130H "Compass Call"
     Compass Call is the designation for a modified version of Lock-
 heed corporation's C-130 "Hercules" aircraft configured to perform
 tactical command, control and communications countermeasures or C3CM.
 Specifically, the modified aircraft uses noise jamming to prevent
 communication or degrade the transfer of information essential to
 command and control of weapon systems and other resources. It pri-
 marily supports tactical air operations but also can provide jamming
 support to ground force operations.
     Modifications to the aircraft include an electronic countermea-
 sures system (Rivet Fire), and air refueling capability and assoc-
 iated navigation and communications systems. Rivet Fire has demon-
 strated its powerful effect on enemy command and control networks in
 Panama and Iraq.
     In the world of Electronic Combat, the major players are the
 EF-111 "Ravens", F-16 "Fighting Falcons" and the EC-130H "Compass
 Call". Forming the EC triad, these forces:
     Jam targets
     Insert deception to confuse
     Destroy critical targets
 Compass Call integrates into tactical air operation at any level.
 Although Compass Call primarily supports interdiction and offensive
 counter-air campaigns, the truly versatile and flexible nature of
 the aircraft and its crew enable the power of EC to be brought to
 bear on virtually any combat situations.
     The EC-130H aircraft carries a combat crew of 13 people. Four
 members are responsible for aircraft flight and navigation, while
 nine members operate and maintain the Rivet Fire equipment. The
 mission crew consists of an electronic warfare officer, who is the
 mission crew commander (MCC), and experienced cryptologic linguist
 is the mission crew supervisor (MCS), six analysis operators and an
 airborne maintenance technician (AMT).
     Aided by the automated system, the crew analyze the signal en-
 vironment, designate targets and ensure the system is operating
 effectively. Targets can be designated before the mission takes off,
 acquired in flight or the MCC/MCS can receive additional tasking at
 any time from outside agencies (i.e. Airborne Warning and Control
 System, RC-135 and Airborne Command and Control System.)
     Compass Call is tasked by all the unified commands and therefore
 subject to worldwide deployment in support of tactical air/ground
 forces on very short notice.
     The Compass Call EC-130H is flown by the 355th Wing's 41st and
 43rd Electronic Combat Squadrons, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base,
 Ariz.
 -----
 193d SPECIAL OPERATIONS WING - PENNSYLVANIA AIR NATIONAL GUARD
 Commando Solo, the United States Air Force's only airborne radio and
 television broadcast mission, is assigned to the 193d Special Opera-
 tions Wing, the only ANG unit assigned to the elite Air Force Special
 Operations Command. The 193d performs this unique psychological oper-
 ations mission out of its compact, 38-acre base at Harrisburg
 International Airport, in Middletown, Pa.
     The primary mission of the 193d is to provide an airborne broad-
 cast platform for virtually any contingency, including state or nat-
 ional disasters or other emergencies, on a moment's notice, anywhere
 in the world. The 193d performs this unique mission with six
 specially configured EC130E/RR aircraft. A secondary mission assigned
 to the 193d is providing airlift for the Air Force Intelligence
 Command, Senior Scout mission. This mission is performed with two
 specially modified EC130E aircraft.
     Being a one-of-a-kind unit means being at the "tip of the spear."
 For instance, the 193d has seen combat action four times: Southeast
 Asia in 1970, Grenada in 1983, Panama in 1989 and Southwest Asia
 (Desert Shield and Desert Storm) in 1990/91. Additionally, in 1994
 the unit was one of the lead units to deploy and conduct operations
 over Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy
     The 193d maintains its reputation as being the most deployed Air
 National Guard unit in the country, participating in 12-15 major
 exercises or real world deployments each year. The unit has been
 awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award eight times, was selec-
 ted as the best flying unit within the Air Guard and recently won
 recognition as having the best dining hall and Services Flight in
 the country. The unit has accumulated over 152,000 accident free
 flying hours during an unprecedented 40 year period of time.
     With an authorized personnel strength of approximately 1,100, of
 whom 290 are full-time employees, the 193d has a combined annual
 payroll of more than $31.7 million. The total annual operating budget
 exceeds $35 million. That budget supports assets (excluding aircraft
 and buildings) of more than $96.4 million. Capital assets (buildings)
 comprise more than $23 million and the current replacement value for
 the eight assigned aircraft is more than $325 million. The unit is a
 modern facility with all buildings constructed since 1990. The two
 newest work areas, a refueling vehicle maintenance shop and 12,000 sq
 ft. deployment storage warehouse are nearing completion.
     On the horizon the unit is preparing to update its aircraft fleet
 with the latest version of the venerable C-130. The first `J' model
 is scheduled for delivery in 1998. Additionally the unit is in negot-
 iations with other state agencies to acquire 25 acres adjacent to the
 unit's eastern border. When acquired this land will permit future
 growth with additional aircraft parking apron and maintenance
 facilities.
 Please send technical comments and problems to webmaster@state.pa.us.
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