Colombia's military will purchase roughly US$4 billion in military
hardware including aircrafts, armored vehicles and small arms to
upgrade and modernize its armed forces, El Tiempo reported Tuesday.
The upgrade will modernize several branches of the Colombian armed forces by supplying new military hardware, which will include naval vessels and submarines from France and Germany, and 25 training aircraft to be assembled in Colombia, said Vice Minister of Defense, Juan Carlos Pinzón.
By the end of the year the armed forces will receive 15 U.S. manufactured Black Hawk helicopters and five Russian-made MI-17 helicopters, and 20 105-mm artillery canons, Pinzón said.
And in March the Air Force will receive four Israeli-built KFir fighter jets, the first shipment of a total of 24 of the aircraft to be delivered new or reconditioned and modernized, Pinzón said.
The deal, to be financed through a special tax earlier decreed by the government, also includes 30 armored vehicles, 12 attack helicopters, 60 fast boats and other vessels, and Caravan and Super King aircraft. Through an accord with a U.S. manufacture, 25 training aircraft will be built in Colombia, Pinzón said.
An unspecified amount of unmanned aircraft are also included in the deal.
Through compensation agreements with international corporations, Colombia will receive the equivalent of $1.2 billion U.S. throughout 10 years reflected in trading technology and trading of knowledge and education. These agreements have been reached with important industries in Israel, the United States and France.
