As previously reported by Zona Militar, the repair process for the Colombian National Army’s Russian-made Mil Mi-17 helicopters has already begun. It was reported that three units will enter service in June 2025, followed by another three units in December of this year. These numbers are undoubtedly significant news, a boost, and a shift compared to the sluggish work of the former minister Iván Velásquez, who, although he signed the contract, took almost two years to acknowledge the need for a heavy-lift fleet to support the Army’s aviation operations.
This development also shows that the war in Ukraine is not a valid reason to delay the maintenance of these helicopters, as the conflict is ongoing and yet maintenance work has been able to start.
Among the figures released, it was also reported that five helicopters are currently operational, while fifteen remain grounded. This leads the author to wonder: are the necessary resources guaranteed for the maintenance of the remaining nine helicopters? Or will these capabilities simply be allowed to deteriorate?
This concern arises because, in another announcement made recently, it was revealed that the Army will request the inclusion of new helicopter acquisitions under the SIDEN program —the same program through which Saab Gripen fighters are to be purchased. It would not be surprising if helicopters from Eurocopter or Leonardo were selected, as some officers have insisted, despite the fact that our Armed Forces have no prior experience operating or maintaining these brands —and even less so when it comes to matching the Mi-17’s heavy-lift capacity.
Returning to the contract, it was confirmed that the warranty bonds were duly signed, debunking another myth spread by the previous leadership. The contract value was reported at 152 billion Colombian pesos, approximately 35 million US dollars.
Additionally, Zona Militar has learned that a new contract offer is already open for the major maintenance of helicopter components —specifically, the rotor blades of the Army’s UH-60 helicopters— under process 314-CD-CENACAVIACIÓN-2024, with an estimated value of 6,049,980,000 pesos, about 1.5 million US dollars. This will undoubtedly help keep this fleet operational until the Russian helicopters are fully restored.
Furthermore, contract 098-CD-CENACAVIACIÓN-2024 is underway, aimed at the “procurement of goods (aeronautical spare parts, components, and pieces), maintenance services for navigation and transport equipment (aeronautical component maintenance and repair services), and major maintenance for UH-1N and UH-1HII (Huey II) helicopters of DAVAA.” This, without a doubt, is another positive development for our aviation. The value of this contract is 19.4 billion pesos, equivalent to approximately 4.5 million US dollars.
Thus, the National Army has taken the lead in maintaining its helicopter fleet to continue serving the Colombian nation, leaving behind a dark period during which political mismanagement led to the deterioration of our Armed Forces.
*Original article written in Spanish by Cesar Fernando Cepeda Bernal.
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