Rafale Emerges Frontrunner To Replace Colombian Kfirs
On December 21, Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated that the process of replacing the Kfir fighters operated by the Colombian Air Force (FAC) is ongoing, with the Dassault Rafale being the best option so far.
Minister of Defense Iván Velásquez explained that the Rafale aircraft proposal is the best option for the country in relation to price, efficiency and operability. “One hour of flight of a Rafale plane is approximately 30% cheaper than the hour of flight of a Kfir (estimated at 89 million pesos)”, he indicated.
The left wing President insisted that social investment will not be affected by the funding of the fighters. About 16 fighters are planned to be bought for an estimated $3.5 billion. The FAC’s fleet of pre-owned Kfirs has had more than 42 years of use, with 30 of them being with the FAC. A press release said:
“Their operation and maintenance is expensive and can be risky. Colombia is today practically the only operator of the Kfir platform. That means that neither aircraft nor spare parts are produced; that is, it is an unsustainable capacity.”
However, the two other competitors remain in the fray. Sweden’s Gripen and U.S. F-16s remain on offer even as the FAC appears to have pre-selected the Rafale. The press release stated: “it is a pre-negotiation. This is the continuation of a process that began 12 years ago, through the Ministry of Defense and the Colombian Air Force.”
Colombia has also been in the hunt for training aircraft since 2021. Over 20 South Korean T-50 and FA-50 aircraft are expected to be procured for this requirement.
Velásquez affirmed that for the Government it is important to have modern Military Forces, strengthened and capable, not for war, but to guarantee national sovereignty and citizen security. President Petro’s military modernization push comes as a surprise as he had previously been against the priority given to such projects.