The US has proposed a deal to supply F-16 Fighting Falcons as replacements for the Colombian Air Force’s Israeli-made Kfir combat aircraft.
The potential deal stipulates up to eight of the Lockheed Martin jets and could cost around 2.5 billion Colombia pesos ($566.4 million), according to Bogotá-based news agency Blu Radio.
In addition to the fleet, the package will incorporate spare parts, logistics support, ground equipment, sustainment services, training, and simulator solutions.
The report claimed that the US government is also considering giving 24 F-16s to the Latin American nation during the acquisition process on top of the procured units.
Part of the overall pitch is the construction of a facility to complement the incoming fleet at a military air base in Palanquero.
Earlier in November, Swedish defense company Saab confirmed an offer to provide its JAS 39 Gripen light attack aircraft for Colombia’s Kfir replacement program.
The same month, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that the South American government had already selected the industry partner for the initiative, adding that the sale will deliver related services in exchange for the purchase decision.
The ‘Lion Cub’ Aircraft
Developed by Israel Aircraft Industries, the Kfir (Lion Cub) aircraft is a combination of the French Dassault Mirage 5 supersonic fighter airframe and Tel Aviv’s version of the American General Electric J79 turbojet engine.
The Kfir first entered service under the Colombian Air Force in the early 1990s, with the initial tranche sourced from the Israeli Defense Forces’ stockpile.
Since then, the aircraft has received upgrades to match the evolving battlespace. Most of the Colombian Kfirs have been deployed for counter-insurgency and ground-attack assaults.
Around 20 Kfirs are operational in the country.
The Kfir has a length of 16 meters (52 feet), a wingspan of 8 meters (27 feet), and a weight of approximately 7,400 kilograms (16,310 pounds).
It has a top speed of 1,320 knots (2,445 kilometers/1519 miles per hour), a range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), and an operational altitude of 17,680 meters (58,005 feet).
The plane can be armed with revolver cannons, air-to-ground rockets, air-to-air missiles, and standard, cluster, and laser-guided bombs.