Expodefensa 2025: Colombian Navy turns to national Indumil remote weapon station for future patrol vessels.

The Colombian Navy and state manufacturer Indumil publicly showcased the RWS ARC Indumil at Expodefensa 2025 in Bogotá, presenting it as the standard remote weapon station for future POC ocean patrol vessels and PES surface platforms. The move deepens Colombia’s push for sovereign naval combat systems, cutting dependence on foreign RWS suppliers and tightening integration with locally developed fire control and sensor suites.

At Expodefensa 2025 in Bogotá, the Colombian Navy presents the RWS ARC Indumil, a remote weapon station developed jointly by the Armada de la República de Colombia and state arms company Indumil and now earmarked as the light naval RWS standard for the new Patrullero Oceánico Colombiano (POC) class and future Plataformas Estratégicas de Superficie (PES). The system follows several years of joint development and earlier showings at Colombiamar, where the Navy confirmed that the ARC Indumil turret had been selected over imported competitors for the lead POC vessel, ARC 24 de Julio. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The configuration of the RWS ARC Indumil shown at Expodefensa is a 250-kilogram design optimised for installation on offshore patrol vessels. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The configuration of the RWS ARC Indumil shown at Expodefensa is a 250-kilogram design optimised for installation on offshore patrol vessels. The station uses a three-phase 220-volt power supply converted to 24-volt direct current, which allows integration without major changes to the electrical infrastructure of existing ships. Gyroscopic stabilisation maintains aiming accuracy despite sea conditions, while the software architecture, developed by the ARC, provides an ergonomic control interface, automatic target tracking, and remote operation from the operations centre. This approach also offers the modularity needed to add future upgrades, whether for stabilisation algorithms, image processing, or tactical interfaces with fire control systems.

The armament displayed at Expodefensa is the Browning M2A2 Quick Change Barrel heavy machine gun in 12.7x99 mm calibre, a robust weapon whose practical range exceeds 1500 metres depending on the ammunition used. The heavy barrel provides an engagement capability against fast craft, one of the most frequent operational scenarios for Colombian patrol vessels involved in the fight against illicit trafficking. The RWS ARC Indumil can also be fitted with the General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems MK 19 automatic grenade launcher in 40x53 mm calibre, whose explosive rounds generally reach more than 2200 metres, allowing graduated response or area engagement when required. The mechanical design also permits integration of 20 mm L/99 type cannons, providing a higher level of firepower for complex maritime security missions.

The Colombian Navy plans to equip its future Plataforma de Operación Contramarina (POC) ocean patrol vessels with three RWS ARC Indumil modules: one on the starboard side, a second behind the bridge, and a third on the telescopic hangar. This layout increases lateral and rear coverage of the ship while enabling a 360-degree engagement capability when the firing arcs are coordinated with the fire control system. The future Plataformas Estratégicas de Superficie (PES) are also to receive two identical stations, one on the port side and one on starboard, confirming a unified approach built around this domestically developed system.

Integration is planned through the Dirección de Apuntamiento Remoto Táctico de la ARC Barracuda 2.0 (DARET ARC Barracuda 2.0) naval fire control system, upgraded in 2024. Already in service on the Offshore Patrol Vessel 80 (OPV 80) and Coastal Patrol Vessel 46 (CPV 46) classes, it provides coherent data fusion between sensors and effectors as well as stabilised control required for engagements at medium range. The updated version uses the Escribano Apolo electro-optical turret of new generation, equipped with gyroscopic stabilisation, an infrared channel, and a laser rangefinder that enable passive detection, identification, and tracking of targets in poor visibility. This optronic unit increases the effectiveness of the turret for night operations and for areas where fast craft operate with low radar signature.

Talks held in 2023 with the Spanish company Escribano Mechanical and Engineering initially examined the acquisition of the Sentinel 2.0 and Sentinel 30 systems for the future POC and PES. The proposals included demonstrations and comparative assessments, but the Colombian Navy ultimately chose the national RWS ARC Indumil solution. This orientation reflects the objective of consolidating a sovereign capability by ensuring simplified maintenance, better availability of spare parts, and immediate upgrade options within the national fleet. The advantage of having a system that can be adapted and managed by local teams also facilitates doctrinal or technical adjustments based on feedback from deployed crews.

The development of the RWS ARC Indumil is part of a wider process of industrialisation and professionalisation of Colombian defence assets. The shipbuilder involved in the design and production of the POC benefits from this standardisation, which makes it possible to unify equipment and control logistics chains across the fleet. The planned increase in the number of POC and PES platforms suggests a gradual spread of the system to a growing share of the Navy’s vessels, improving tactical coherence and self-protection capabilities. This dynamic also opens the possibility of international interest in the product, as Latin American navies regularly look for remote weapon stations that are accessible, modular, and adaptable. The RWS ARC Indumil could therefore, in the medium term, support Colombia’s industrial presence in a naval segment that continues to expand.