COLOMBIAN AIR FORCE • Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (FAC)

Colombian Aerospace Force 15,000 Personnel (Estimated).

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type
(incl Air Defence units)

• AIRCRAFT 19 combat capable. Total 235 Aircraft.

Multi-role Fighter / Fighter Ground Attack 1 sqn with 19 Ftr ac:

• 16 IAI Kfir C-10/C-12;
• 3 IAI Kfir TC-12* (Training);
• Note: Selection of 18 Saab Gripen E/F fighters was confirmed in April 2025 to replace the aging Kfir fleet.

Ground Attack / COIN 1 sqn with: 30 Coin ac:

• 24 Embraer EMB-314 (A-29) Super Tucano;
• 6 Douglas AC-47T Spooky (Fantasma) (Gunship).

Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) / Special Mission Multiple specialized units with  27 Recce/Liaison/EW ac:

• 6 Basler BT-67 (Recce);
• 6 Cessna 208 Grand Caravan (Recce);
• 5 Cessna 560 Citation Ultra (Recce);
• 1 CASA CN235 (Recce);
• 3 Beechcraft King Air 350 (Electronic Warfare);
• 6 SA 2-37 (Recce/Liaison).

Tanker 1 unit with 1 Tkr ac:

• 1 Boeing 767-200 MMTT (Jupiter).

Transport 3 major squadrons with 106 Tpt ac: 

• Medium Transport:
  6 Lockheed C-130H Hercules;
  5 Boeing 737;
  1 Boeing 727;
  1 Boeing 737F (Cargo).
• Light/Tactical Transport:
  7 CASA C295/CN235;
  10 Cessna 208 Grand Caravan;
  3 CASA C-212;
  2 Embraer EMB-110 (C-95);
  1 Piper PA-31T;
  1 PA-34 Seneca;
  1 Turbo Commander.
• VIP/Presidential:
  2 Embraer Legacy 600;
  5 Boeing 737BBJ;
  1 F-28 Fellowship;
  1 Learjet 60.
  

Training 52 Trg ac:

• 13 Embraer EMB-312 Tucano;
• 9 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II (14 more on order);
• 22 Lancair Synergy (T-90 Calima);
• 8 Cessna 172.
  
  

• HELICOPTER 40 combat capable. Total 139 Helicopter.

Attack / Multi-role Helicopter Multiple units with:

• 24 Sikorsky AH/MH/UH-60L Black Hawk (including AH-60L Arpia III/IV attack configurations);
• 11 Bell 212;
• 4 Hughes 500/530F.

Transport Helicopter

• 50 Bell UH-1H Iroquois (Huey II);
• 2 Bell 205.
  

Training

• 47 Bell 206 / TH-67A Creek (Helicopter trainer);

• UAV 1 unit with 8 UAV::

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) 1 unit with:

• 6 Elbit Hermes 450;
• 2 Elbit Hermes 900.
  
  

• Air Defence Units

• Towed guns: 4 40mm M1A1;
• Note: In 2023, Colombia announced the purchase of the Barak MX air-defence system.

Capabilities & Role The Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC) is primarily tasked with internal security, focusing on counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics operations while supporting border control efforts with Brazil and Venezuela. As a NATO global partner, Colombia maintains close military ties with the United States for procurement and training. The service has recently expanded into the space domain, establishing a space operations center and launching observation satellites to enhance national surveillance. Strategic modernization remains a priority, evidenced by the selection of the Saab Gripen to replace its legacy Kfir fighters and the expansion of the T-6C Texan II training fleet.