The high cost of the combat fleet renewal program has generated resentment within the Colombian Air Force.
The United States has offered the new Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighter jet at $223 million each unit for Colombian Air Force (FAC). The US aircraft is the firmest option of the Caribbean country to renew its fleet of fighter jets, already in February Spanish Infodefensa.com site has reported that the Colombian Government had selected this model as its future air superiority aircraft and within the process of building capabilities of its Integral National Defense System (Siden).
Once the final value per unit was known, questions were presented by the Colombian Air Force (Cofac) for the high disbursement necessary for the realization of the project, despite the fact that the government of this nation would have given the go-ahead to continue with the negotiations, this in order to enhance the capabilities of the FAC and in the face of the progressive withdrawal of the service of the fleet of its IAI K-Fir C10/12 COA. Colombia’s intention is to acquire between 12 and 24 units, taking into account that each SQUADRON of the FAC is made up of a dozen fighters.
Likewise, the FAC Command, then led by General Ramses Rueda, rejected the offer of F16 aircraft from the Danish Air Force after analyzing the reports of FAC experts sent to the Nordic country to evaluate the condition of these aircraft.