RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Colombian Ministry of Defense (MDF-Army Command) has contracted the maintenance of its FMC-BAE M113-A2 type vehicles to strengthen the operational capabilities of its mechanized infantry.
For such purposes, a Letter of Offer and Acceptance was signed between the Governments of Colombia and the United States for the “acquisition of goods and services for tactical vehicles, with major maintenance” for approximately US$2.97 million.
Of the above amount, US$1.45 million was allocated from last year’s resources (item A-02-02-02-009-007), and another US$1.52 million will be allocated from this year’s resources (item C-1502-0100-29-0-1502083-02), as explained to this newspaper by Diego Alvarado, a technical and financial specialist in this type of process.
TRANSPORT OF MILITARY PERSONNEL
The M-113 A1/A2, locally designated in Colombia as TPM-113 (Transport of Military Personnel), are the armored vehicles with the longest service time in the Colombian Army, with a current inventory of 54 units.
Of the total number of units, all of the APC version, 42 are assigned to the Mechanized Infantry Battalion No. 6 (1st Army Division), located in La Guajira (in the north-east of the country); eight more to the Mechanized Infantry Battalion No. 5, located in the city of Santa Marta (north of the country); and the remaining four, in Bogota and used by the Army Infantry School.