Colombia to receive new batch of 55 US M1117 ASV Armored Security Vehicles.

On April 22, 2024, Colombia announced through its official channel X that it will soon acquire an additional 55 M1117 armored vehicles from the United States government. These vehicles, locally known as Pegaso, are transferred to Colombia under the United States' Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program.
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Colombia M1117 Armored Security Vehicles (Picture source: Colombia MoD)

This donation supplements a previous batch of 145 M1117 vehicles received by Colombia. A contract valued at approximately $3.9 million was signed between the Colombian Army Command and American suppliers for the acquisition of these vehicles in January 2021.

The M1117 vehicles will be deployed in various configurations, including Command and Control, Reconnaissance, and Transport versions, with the aim of enhancing the operational capabilities of the Colombian army.

Colombia continues its goal of standardizing its fleet of armored vehicles, integrating a variety of 4x4, 6x6, and 8x8 models. This initiative demonstrates the United States' ongoing commitment to supporting the defense efforts of its regional allies.

According to the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) arms trade database, 28 M1117 ASV (Armored Security Vehicle), 4x4 armored vehicles were already delivered to Colombia in 2013/2014, and the second batch of 60 vehicles was delivered in 2016, including the command post version. With this new donation added to those of the Military Balance 2023, the Colombian army would now have a fleet of 269 M1117 ASVs in all configurations.

According to the Military Balance 2020, the Colombian army also has 32 Stryker LAV III 8x8 armored vehicles, 28 Commando Advanced, 4 RG-31 Nyala, 56 EE-11 Urutu, and 121 EE-9 Cascavel 6x6 armored vehicles armed with a 90mm cannon.

The M1117 ASV (Armored Security Vehicle), also nicknamed Guardian, was developed by the American company Textron Marine & Land Systems. The vehicle entered service with the U.S. Army in 1999.

From a technical standpoint, the M1117 is a U.S.-designed armored vehicle equipped with a wide range of weaponry, including a 40 mm caliber automatic grenade launcher, a 7.62 mm machine gun, and a 12.7 mm machine gun. The M1117's armor is resistant to 360-degree small arms fire, anti-tank mines under any wheel, and artillery shell fragments.

Used by several countries, including Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Canada, Iraq, Kosovo, Greece, Ukraine, the United States, and, of course, Colombia, this 14,785 kg vehicle demonstrates versatility and reliability on various fronts and can reach speeds of up to 97 km/h.

It is equipped with night/day sight systems, personnel heating, and air conditioning. Optional features such as add-on armor, ABS, GPS, and individual or overpressure NBC protection systems are also available to meet specific needs.

The M1117 can carry a crew of 2 plus a maximum of 8 passengers, making it ideal for a variety of missions, including troop transport and reconnaissance operations. With dimensions of 6.07 meters in length, 2.56 meters in width, and 2.59 meters in height, and a range of 710 km, Colombia thus seeks to update its armored vehicles, with the future bid winner yet to be seen.