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Colombia use freshly received US M1117 in operation against narcotraffic.


The Colombian Army (EJC) continues to deploy its 4x4 AFV Textron Marine & Land Systems (TM&LS) M1117 (Pegasos) vehicles as part of counter-insurgency operations. Indeed, forty units from the Ejército (Colombian Armed Forces) have been deployed in the Bolívar province in the north of the country, to carry out control operations. The operation aims to reduce the presence of narcotics traffickers in the area.
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U.S. Army M1117 Armored patrol vehicle in Iraq  (Picture source: U.S. DoD)


For this purpose, the Pegasos mobilized in the area are equipped with the TM&LS 40 mm/.50 caliber remote-controlled turret weapon station which rotates 360 degrees and elevates between 10 and 60 degrees, equipped with the 12.7 M-2HB-QCB Browning General Dynamics MK-19 40x53 mm grenade launcher. It should be noted that Colombia has a total of 214 M1117s, with an operational availability of 91% of the fleet, thanks to two maintenance processes carried out periodically.

The M1117s are manufactured by Textron Marine and Land Systems, which is a division of Textron Inc., a multi-industry company known for its diverse range of products including aircraft, defense equipment, and industrial components. This division specifically specializes in the design and manufacturing of innovative solutions for land and air defense platforms. In its civilian version, Textron is the manufacturer of aircraft from the Cessna and Beechcraft brands, but in its military component, Textron Marine & Land Systems is particularly known for its amphibious vehicles, such as the Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC), which is a modern landing craft used by the U.S. Navy for the rapid transport of troops and equipment between ships and the coast. The division also produces light armored vehicles, such as the M1117 Armored Security Vehicle (ASV), which is used by military police forces and security forces around the world for missions requiring high mobility and protection against ballistic and explosive threats.

The M1117 offers armor resistant to impacts from small caliber ammunition and shrapnel, Stanag II 4569 LVL III. It is also equipped with a system to protect against mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The standard main armament is a remote turret armed with a 40 mm automatic cannon and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, allowing rapid and effective fire against both ground and low-altitude aerial targets, as well as a .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun in the superstructure for engagements against aerial targets or to provide additional fire support.
Mobility:

The M1117 is powered by a 260-horsepower Cummins diesel engine, providing good performance on roads and various terrains.
Particularly developed with the idea of preserving soldier comfort, the M1117 is prized for its high mobility, and its ability to provide fire while being relatively protected.

Today, Colombia uses 269 M1117 ASVs initially used by the U.S. Army. In August 2020, a donation of 200 vehicles was approved under the Excess Defense Article (EDA) program. Colombia recently announced an upcoming new delivery.


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