Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–11, Part 1, Documents on Mexico; Central America; and the Caribbean, 1973–1976

156. Memorandum From Stephen Low of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)¹

Washington, January 7, 1975.

SUBJECT

• Sale of F–86 Aircraft

After thorough search I have been unable to discover any information indicating that State has taken a negative position on sale of F–86 aircraft to Ecuador. Furthermore, it seems unlikely that Ecuador would be interested in such aircraft in view of its well known and often stated lack of interest in buying used equipment since it has the money to buy new.

It is possible that a confusion may have arisen between Ecuador and Honduras. The latter has for some time been interested in purchasing a package of ten F–86s from the Yugoslavs. Aerotrade, a Miami arms dealer, has applied to Munitions Control in State for a license to conduct the transaction. A similar request for a license submitted by another dealer in 1973 was denied by State Munitions Control on the grounds that the F–86 was not “appropriate” for Honduras (or Central America). That decision was subsequently reviewed and upheld. Central to that determination was the Honduras-El Salvador dispute and the lack of progress in resolving that dispute. Additionally, no Central American country had planes with an air-to-air capability.

Following our policy of evenhandedness toward Honduras and El Salvador, the U.S. subsequently offered the A–37 to both countries; Honduras accepted and will soon be receiving six A–37 aircraft. El Salvador was not interested. In the interim, however, El Salvador has purchased from Israel eighteen French-built Oregon planes which have an air-to-air capability.

In spite of this, there is continuing sentiment against licensing the transaction on the grounds that the Honduran Government would be spending about $1.2 million on military equipment at a time when it is seeking and receiving large amounts of economic assistance for its reconstruction effort following the hurricane destruction. Honduran-Salvadoran peace talks are moving very slowly.

Now that Salvadorans have equivalent airplanes, it seems to me we’re on difficult grounds denying the F–86s to the Hondurans. If it is the Honduras problem which you had in mind, let me know and I will follow it with State, indicating our interest in an input before any final decision is made.

1. Summary: Low briefed Scowcroft on Honduran interest in purchasing combat aircraft, noting that a 1973 U.S. Government decision to block the sale was being reconsidered.

   Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Latin American Affairs Staff Files, Box 4, Honduras—Political, Military. Confidential. Sent for action. On January 13, Scowcroft marked the memorandum to indicate his interest in the Honduran F–86 case and to request that Low follow it. In a January 15 memorandum to Scowcroft, Low reported that Bowdler and Lazar generally agreed that the sale should be allowed to proceed but hoped to use the licenses “as leverage with the Hondurans to get talks between them and El Salvador started again.” (Ibid.)