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Colombian Air Force

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The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.

History

Creation

Military aviation began in Colombia in 1919 with the creation of a military aviation school for the Colombian Army. Previously by Law 15 of 1916 of September 7 two commissions were sent overseas to study new technological advancements in aviation, infantry, cavalry, engineering and trains. Officers pertaining to the Colombian Army were also sent to take a course on flight training on techniques and tactics. The school is then created in Colombia along with the Colombian National Army Aviation as a fifth regiment by Law 126 of 1919 of December 31 authorized by President of Colombia, Marco Fidel Suarez. The unit was officially activated on February 15, 1921 in Flandes, Department of Tolima with the support of French mission led by Lieutenant Colonel Rene Guichard. The Aviation School initially had 3 Caudron G.3 E-2, 3 Caudron G.4 A-2 and four Nieuport Delage 11 C-1. The school was closed due to financial hardships on 1922.

The School of Military Aviation was reopened on November 8, 1924 in Madrid, Department of Cundinamarca with the support of a Swiss mission headed by Captain Henry Pillichody. The aircraft used for training were 4 Wild WT and 8 Wild X performing the first air review on August 7, 1927. Then on December 28, 1928 the first combat aircraft was showed in Colombia, the Curtiss Falcon O-1 pertaining to the United States.

War with Peru

On September 1, 1932 civilian Peruvians illegally crossed into Colombian territory and invaded the town of Leticia in the Colombian Amazon arguing and claiming that the town was original Peruvian territory. The Colombian military aviation only had 11 instructors, four Curtiss-Wright CW-14R Osprey air combat support planes and one Curtiss Falcon O-1. The military aviation then received full financial support from the Congress of Colombia. Colombia bought aircraft from Germany and the United States, while others were activated from the airline operating in Colombia SCADTA (Sociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transporte Aereo) and their pilots, which included some German citizens, one of these was Major Herbert Boy. The imported aircraft were 4 Junkers F.13, 4 Junkers W 34 and 3 Junkers K 43, 6 Junkers Ju 52, 2 Dornier Merkur II, 4 Dornier Wal, 20 Curtiss Falcon F-8F and 30 Curtiss Hawk II F-11C.

The contingent was then sent to southern Colombia to fight Peruvian forces with the main mission of delivering supplies to the front lines, aerial reconnaissance and air to land attacks. The fleet was divided into three squadrons with Puerto Boy as the main camp site. Support bases were in Caucaya airstrip (Puerto Leguizamo), El Encanto, Puerto Arica, La Pedrera and Tarapaca. The main combat operations started on February 14, 1933 in Tarapaca where the Peruvian garrison was bombed by seven Colombian aircraft and later assaulted by land forces. Later, on March 26, in the village of Guepi eleven Colombian planes and two cannon boats (MC Cartagena y MC Santa Marta) bombarded Peruvian positions and took over the town.

The last military actions of the conflict with Peru were on May 8, 1933 and in which there was an aerial engagement between the two forces. Peruvian planes were attacking the fluvial fleet of Colombia over the Algodon River and were surprised by the Colombian squadron. One of the Peruvian aircraft, an Douglas O-38P was gunned down and taken to Colombian territory. On May 24, 1933 the cease fire was declared after an agreement was reached with the intervention of the League of Nations. The town of Leticia was returned to Colombia. The captured plane was returned then to Peru. As a result of the war, four pilots died in four accidents, non combat related actions, among these there was one of the German pilots. Four planes were lost in these accidents a Falcon O-1, an Osprey C-14, a Junker F-13 and a Curtiss F-11.

Early 1930s to present

In 1935 the first combat monoplanes made of aluminium were purchased by the Colombian Air Force; 4 Seversky P-35/2PA Guardsman.

While the war was on going in the south of Colombia, the Air Force built Air Force bases in the town of Buenaventura and Cartagena. The base in Buenaventura was dubbed Air base of the Pacific and covered the area of the Colombian Pacific region by the Pacific Ocean and began operations on January 26, 1933. The main purpose of this base was to protect the Pacific coast from any maritime intervention, since there were reports that the Peruvian protected cruiser BAP Almirante Grau was patrolling the area, as well as two submarines. The Buenaventura base closed in 1949 while the base in Cartagena was handed over to the Colombian Navy in 1936 becoming the ARC Bolivar Naval Base, the most important naval base in Colombia.

Once the conflict with Peru was over the bases in the Amazon basin were dismantled and the troops sent to new bases like Tres Esquinas Air Force Base in the Department of Caqueta, Palanquero Air Force Base in the Department of Cundinamarca and San Jose del Guaviare in the Department of Guaviare. Meanwhile the School of Military Aviation was moved to Cali, and leaving in Madrid the Radiotelegraphy and Maintenance Schools.

During World War II, North American T-6 Texans and Boeing PT-17 Stearmans were received from the USA for pilot training. Soon after World War Two, the Aviacion Militar became an independent part of the armed forces, and the Fuerza Aerea Colombiana was created.

During the period of La Violencia, The Air Force had the necessity to expand it's radius of action, so in 1947 the aerodromo nacional de Apiay was created, named the 17 of November 1948 Base Aerea de Apiay, today it home of the Comando Aereo de Combate No. 2. In this period, the Air Force became more involved in counterinsurgency tasks and B-26C Invaders were acquired. Also, in 1954, the jet age began for the Colombian Air Force with the arrival of Silver Star T-33 and six Canadian Sabre Mark IV F-86. The F-86 were retired from service 1966, while the T-33 continued to operate until 1972 when 18 Mirage 5 fighters arrived in three different versions. Sixteen F-80 Shooting Stars were also delivered.

In 1952, Hiller UH-12 helicopters arrived to the country, initially acquired for the Ministerio de Obras Publicas, but later assigned to the Air Force. In consequence, in 1954, the first helicopter base was created in Melgar, Tolima. Nowadays this base is known as Base Aerea Capitan Luis F. Gomez Nino, home of the Comando Aereo de Combate No. 4 and the Joint Helicopter School of the Armed Forces. In 1959, with the inauguration of the El Dorado International Airport, the Base Aerea de Transporte Militar was created, later renamed as Base Aerea Brigadier General Camilo Daza, home today of the Comando Aereo de Transporte Militar (CATAM). In 1962 in order to integrate economically and socially the furthest regions of the country the Servicio Aereo a Territorios Nacionales SATENA was created.

Around 1960 the military transport element expanded, with the acquisition of the C-130 Hercules, other types incorporated during the sixties were, the UH-1 Huey, T-37 Tweet and T-41 Mescalero.

In 1977, to increase control in the northern part of the country, the Grupo Aereo del Norte was created in Malambo, Atlantico, home today of the Comando Aereo de Combate No. 3. In 1979, the Grupo Aereo del Caribe (GACAR) was created, to defend the sovereignty of San Andres and Providencia from the pretensions of Nicaragua. In 1983, the Grupo Aereo de Oriente was created in Marandua, Vichada to exert more control of the airspace in the eastern part of the country.

Further expansion took place in the eighties with considerable deliveries of the A-37 Dragonfly, which earned fame over Vietnam. At the end of the decade a batch of Kfir C2 fighters was delivered from Israel and subsequently upgraded to Kfir C7 by the Comando Aereo de Mantenimiento (CAMAN) in Madrid in the nineties. The Mirages were upgraded to the same standard by CAMAN, with the installation of canards and improved fuel systems. Both types are also equipped for air-to-air refuelling from the FAC's sole Boeing 707 tanker and transport aircraft. The nineties saw the delivery of specialised COIN-aircraft like the OV-10A Bronco and Embraer Tucano trainers, some of the latter are able to carry bombs and unguided rockets. These aircraft operate mainly over the east of the country, where the Los Llanos region has a high level of guerrilla activity. They regularly deploy to Puerto Carreno under the command of the Grupo Aereo del Oriente formed in 2000. To deal with continuing guerrilla activity Escuadrones Aerotacticos (tactical squadrons) were formed at the main FAC bases in the late nineties, consisting of several types of helicopters and AC-47 gunships supplied by their respective Grupos.

Finally in 1990 the Base Aerea de Rionegro, Antioquia is activated, center of operations of the UH-60 Black Hawk, today this base is called Comando Aereo de Combate No. 5.

The 1999 'Plan Colombia' emphasizes on technology, rather than on large numbers of new aircraft being procured, although several new UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters (dubbed Arpia in Colombian service) entered FAC service in recent years. Other recently acquired types include Schweizer SA2-37A Condors and Cessna 560 Citations equipped with cameras and sensors to monitor guerrilla and narcotic related activities. Technology upgrades are scheduled for the Bronco fleet, the venerable AC-47 gunships and Huey-helicopters.

Organization

Combat Air Commands (Comando Aereo de Combate or CACOM):

Comando Aereo de Combate No. 1 (CACOM 1) "CT. German Olano Moreno"
in Palanquero / Puerto Salgar, Cundinamarca

* Grupo de combate N 11

** Escuadron de Combate 111 Dardos

** Escuadron de Combate 112 Mirage

** Escuadron de Combate Tactico 113 Fantasma

** Escuadron de Combate 116 Tango

Comando Aereo de Combate No. 2 (CACOM 2) "CT. Luis Fernando Gomez Nino"
in Apiay / Villavicencio, Meta

* Grupo de Combate N 21

** Escuadron de Combate 211 Grifos (A-29B Supertucano)

** Escuadron de Combate 212 Tucanos (AT-27 Tucano)

** Escuadron de Combate Tactico 213

* Grupo de Combate N 22 located in Yopal, Casanare.

** Escuadron de Combate 221 Bronco (North American OV-10 Bronco)

Comando Aereo de Combate No. 3 (CACOM 3) "MG. Alberto Pauwels Rodriguez"
in Malambo / Barranquilla, Atlantico

* Grupo de Combate 31

** Escuadron de Combate 311 Dragones (A-37 Dragonfly).

** Escuadron de Combate 312 Drakos (A-29B Supertucano).

** Escuadron de Combate Tactico 313 .

Comando Aereo de Combate No. 4 (CACOM 4) "TC. Luis Francisco Pinto Parra"
in Melgar, Tolima

* Grupo de Combate 41

** Escuadron de Combate 411 Rapaz (Bell 212).

** Escuadron de Asalto Aereo 412 (Bell UH-1H/P).

** Eccuadron de Ataque 413 Escorpion (MD 500/530).

* Grupo CSAR.

* Escuela de Helicopteros de las Fuerzas Armadas.

** Escuadron de Vuelo .

Comando Aereo de Combate No. 5 (CACOM 5) "GR. Arturo Lema Posada"
in Rionegro, Antioquia

* Grupo de Combate 51

** Escuadron de Combate 511 (AH-60L Arpia III)

** Escuadron de Operaciones Especiales 512

Comando Aereo de Combate No. 6 (CACOM 6) "CT. Ernesto Esguerra Cubides"
in Tres Esquinas, Caqueta

* Grupo de Combate 61

** Escuadron de Combate 611

** Escuadron de Combate Tactico 613

Transportation and Maintenance:

Comando Aereo de Transporte Militar (CATAM) "BG. Camilo Daza Alvarez"
in Bogota D.C.

* Grupo de Transporte Aereo 81

** Escuadron de Transporte 811

** Escuadron de Evacuacion Medica.

* Grupo de Vuelos Especiales 82

** Escuadron de Transporte Especial 821 (B707-323C, B737-74V, Beech 300 ELINT, Beech 350, Bell 412HP, C-95A, Ce208B, Ce550, F28-3000(C), PA-42-720, PA-42T, RC690D, RC695)

Comando Aereo de Mantenimiento (CAMAN) "MY. Justino Marino Cuesto"
in Madrid, Cundinamarca

* Grupo de Transporte Aereo 91

** Escuadron de Transporte 911

Air Groups:

Grupo Aereo del Caribe (GACAR) "TC. Benjamin Mendez Rey"
on San Andres Island, San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina

* Escuadron de Combate 101

** Escuadrilla de Combate Tactico 1013 (Beech C90)

Grupo Aereo del Oriente (GAORI) "CR. Luis Arturo Rodriguez Meneses"
in Marandua, Vichada

* Grupo de Combate 111

** Escuadrilla de Combate Tactico 1113

Training:

Escuela Militar de Aviacion (EMAVI) "Marco Fidel Suarez"
in Santiago de Cali, Valle del Cauca

* Grupo de Educacion Aeronautica

** Escuadron Basico

* Grupo de Combate 71

** Escuadron de Combate Tactico 713

Escuela de Suboficiales FAC (ESUFA) "CT. Andres Maria Diaz Diaz"
in Madrid, Cundinamarca

Instituto Militar Aeronautico (IMA) "CT. Jose Edmundo Sandoval"
in Bogota D.C.

Airline:

Servicio de Aeronavegacion a Territorios Nacionales (SATENA)

Ranking Insignia

Colombian Air Force Officers Ranking Insignia
NATO CODE	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Colombia
Spanish	General	Teniente General	Mayor General	Brigadier General	Coronel	Teniente Coronel	Mayor	Capitan	Teniente	Subteniente
English	General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
Abrev.	GR	TG	MG	BG	CR	TC	MY	CT	TE	ST

Colombian Air Force NCO Rank Insignia
NATO CODE	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Colombia									No Equivalent
Spanish	Tecnico Jefe de Comando	Tecnico Jefe	Tecnico Subjefe	Tecnico Primero	Tecnico Segundo	Tecnico Tercero	Tecnico Cuarto	Aerotecnico
USAF Equivalent	Chief Technician of Command	Senior Chief Technician	Chief Technicianl	Technician First Class	Technician 2nd Class	Technician 3rd Class	Technician 4th Class	Airman

Aircraft inventory

! style="text-align: left; background: aacccc;"|Aircraft

! style="text-align: left; background: aacccc;"|Origin

! style="text-align: left; background: aacccc;"|Type

! style="text-align: left; background: aacccc;"|Versions

! style="text-align: left; background: aacccc;"|In service"World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.

! style="text-align: left; background: aacccc;"|Notes

! style="text-align: left; background: aacccc;"|Images

|- | colspan="7" align="center" | Transport |- | Beechcraft Queen Air | | utility transport | 65-B80 | 2 | | |- | Beechcraft Twin Bonanza | | utility transport | D50 | 1 | | |- | Boeing 707 | | Transport
Tanquer | 707-373C | 1 | | [*] |- | Boeing Business Jet | | VIP | BBJ1 | 1 | | |- | Fokker F28 | | VIP Transport | F28-1000
F28-3000 | 1
1 | | |- | Cessna Citation II | | VIP Transport | 550 Citation II | 1 | | [*] [*] |- | CASA C-212 Aviocar | | tactical transport | C-212-300 | 3 | | [*] |- | CASA CN-235 | | Tactical transport | CN-235-200 | 3 | | [*] [*] |- | EADS CASA C-295 | | Tactical transport | C-295M | 4 | | [*] |- | Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante | | transport | EMB 110P1A | 2 | | |- | Gavilan 358 | | utility | | 4 | | [*] |- | IAI Arava | | utility transport | Arava 201 | 1 | | |- | C-130 Hercules | | tactical transport | C-130B
C-130H | 4
3 | | [*] |- | Piper PA-23 Aztec | | utility | | 1 | | |- | Piper PA-31 Navajo | | utility transport | | 1 | | |- | Piper PA-31T Cheyenne | | utility transport | | 1 | | |- | Piper PA-34 Seneca | | utility transport | | 3 | | |- |Cessna 208 Caravan | | liaison | | 5 | |- | colspan="7" align="center" | Helicopters |- | Bell 205 | | utility helicopter | Model 205
UH-1H/P | 5
21 | | [*] |- | Bell 212 Twin Huey | | transport helicopter | | 12 | | [*] |- | Bell 412 | | Transport helicopter | 412HP | 2 | | [*] |- | MD Helicopters MD500 Defender | | combat helicopter | 369HM
MD 530FF | 13
3 | | [*] [*] |- | Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk | | transport helicopter
combat helicopter | UH-60L
AH-60 Arpia | 25 | | [*] [*] |- | colspan="7" align="center" | Trainers |- | Cessna T-41 Mescalero | | trainer | T-41D | 8 | | [*] |- | Beechcraft T-34 Mentor | | trainer | T-34M | 9 | | [*] [*] |- | Cessna T-37 Tweet | | Trainer | T-37B Tweet
T-37C Tweet | 3
4 | | [*] [*] [*] |- | de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver | | utility | | 1 | | |- | Embraer EMB 312 Tucano | | trainer | | 14 | | [*] |- | Bell 206 | | Trainer | Bell 206B-III | 11 | | [*] |- | colspan="7" align="center" | Attack |- | Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano | | combat | | 25 | | [*] |- | North American OV-10 Bronco | | counter insurgency | OV-10A | 11 | | [*] |- | AC-47 Spooky | | Counter Insurgency | | 6 | Locally known as Fantasmas (Ghost) | [*] |- | A-37 Dragonfly | | Counter Insurgency | | 9| To be withdrawn from service by 2008 | [*] [*] |- | colspan="7" align="center" | Fighters |- | IAI Kfir | | Fighter | Kfir C.7
Kfir TC.7
Kfir C.10 COA | 11
1
6 | On February 2008, Colombia signed a deal with the Israeli government to update the 12 Kfir C7s to the C10 version and acquire another 13 former Israeli Air Force Kfir C10s.
On June 2009, Colombia received the first batch of upgraded kfir fighters at a ceremony held at IAI's facilities | [*] [*] |- | Mirage 5 | | Fighter | | 12 | | [*] |- | colspan="7" align="center" | Reconnaissance and Intelligence |- | Schweizer SA 2-37 | | reconnaissance | | 6 | | [*] |- | Fairchild C-26 Metroliner | | transport / SIGINT | C-26A | 5 | | [*] |- | Citation SR-560 Tracker | | Tracker | | 6 | | [*] [*] |- | Cessna O-2 | | Tracker | | 2 | | [*] |- | Beechcraft B300 King Air | | ELINT | | 4 | 2 more ordered | [*] |- | Cessna Grand Caravan | | Reconnaissance | | | | |- | colspan="7" align="center" | Servicio Aereo a Territorios Nacionales SATENA |- | Dornier Do 328 | | airliner | | 6 | operated by SATENA | |- | Embraer ERJ 145 | | Airliner | 50 seats | 5 | operated by SATENA | |- | Embraer 170 | | airliner | 76 seats, single class | 2 | operated by SATENA | |- | Let L-410 Turbolet | | airliner | 19 seats, single class | 3 | operated by SATENA |

Other aircraft have been reported in recent service:

Cessna 310

Enstrom F-28 Falcon

Piper PA-42 Cheyenne

FAC is not Colombia's exclusive operator of military aircraft, as smaller inventories are maintained by the Colombian Army, Colombian Navy, and the Colombian National Police.

Aircraft identification

The aircraft used by the Colombian Air Force are identified with the letters "FAC" followed by three or four numbers numbers that are painted on the tail, nose and nose landing gear doors. The serial numbers are assigned according to the aircraft's primary role as follows:

001 Avion Presidencial

002 to 100 trainer

101 to 200 liaison

201 to 300 helicopter

301 to 500 miscellaneous

501 to 600 light transport

601 to 700 transport

701 to 800 advanced trainer

801 to 900 fighter-bomber

901 to 1000 crew-trainer

1001 to 1300 transport

2001 to 2300 Close support

2501 to 2600 bomber

3001 to 3100 Fighter

3101 to 3200 COIN

4001 to 4600 helicopter

5001 to 5600 liaison

5701 to 5800 recon/ELINT

External links

Air Force Bases in Colombia at GlobalSecurity.org

Fuerza Aerea Colombiana

Colombia: Seguridad & Defensa, Unofficial site

Aviacol.net: History of the Colombian Air Force

UNFFMM pagina no oficial de las Fuerzas Militares de Colombia

Combat aircraft of the FAC, at SAORBATS

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Colombian Air Force