The Colombian Ministry of Defense has tapped ITP Aero for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of the armed forces’ Black Hawk helicopter engines.
Under the contract, the Spanish company will service the choppers’ GE T700 engines until June 2026 to ensure operational readiness.
“The award of this contract is a further demonstration of the reliability and flexibility of our services, and we are committed to providing the highest quality service to enable the Colombian Air Force to perform at its best during its very demanding flight missions,” ITP Aero In-Service Support Director Pablo Fuentes said.
ITP has been providing maintenance services for the fleet since 2012. Colombia currently operates more than 100 Black Hawks, most of which are used as the country’s premier capability in anti-narco-terrorism missions.
Eliminating Safety Threats
Colombia’s helicopter fleet has suffered various losses in recent years following fatal crashes.
In February, four crewmembers were killed after a Black Hawk crashed in Colombia’s border area with Panama during landing maneuvers.
Similarly, in 2020, nine soldiers died after their helicopter went down in the southeastern Guaviare region following a military operation against guerillas.
According to the army, most of the accidents can be attributed to the country’s unpredictable weather, especially in its mountainous regions.