Colombia has decided to retire the Israeli-made Hermes UAVs in its inventory. It has been reported that the country has turned to the Turkish defense industry’s Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar TB3 for the procurement of new unmanned aerial vehicles.
Strategic Change in Colombia’s UAV Fleet
Colombia has decided to remove the Israeli-made Hermes unmanned aerial vehicles from service and has turned to Turkey for new UAV procurement. It has been reported that Colombia has initiated efforts to purchase the Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar TB3 unmanned aerial vehicles developed by the Turkish defense industry.
Hermes UAVs Being Removed from the Inventory
It was stated that the Colombian Air Force (FAC) is preparing to remove the Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicles, produced by the Israeli company Elbit Systems in 2012, from its inventory.
While it is reported that a total of 6 Hermes 450 and 2 Hermes 900 platforms are planned to be retired, it is considered that both technical and diplomatic reasons are behind this decision. In particular, recent diplomatic tensions with Israel, as well as the inability of Hermes platforms to be armed and their limited use only for intelligence missions, were influential in the decision-making process.
Colombia Turns Its Direction to Turkey
Following the process of decommissioning the Hermes systems, Colombia reportedly turned to the Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar TB3 models developed by the Turkish defense industry company Baykar.
Experts note that the different munition options of these UAVs and their operational successes in the field played an important role in Colombia’s preference.
Wide Munition Range and Operational Capability
It is stated that the Bayraktar TB2 can be used with munitions such as MAM-L, Bozok and Kayı, allowing it to play an effective role in both reconnaissance and strike missions.
The Bayraktar TB3 model, which has a higher payload capacity, stands out with its advanced sensor and munition systems. In addition, TB3’s capability to take off and land on short-runway ships is considered an important feature that could provide a strategic advantage for Colombia.
Modernization Process in the UAV Fleet
Colombia’s shift toward the Bayraktar TB2 and TB3 platforms is seen as a significant transformation in the country’s process of modernizing its unmanned aerial vehicle fleet. According to experts, this step shows that Colombia aims to increase both its reconnaissance and armed operational capabilities.
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