COLOMBIA

The President of Colombia is the nominal Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, but in practice the Minister of Defense exercises both operational and administrative control over the Army, Navy Air Force and national police. The President has the authority to identify specific portions of the national territory as “operational theatres” for operations by the “Public Force” (Armed Forces and National Police). A Combined Operational Command controls and coordinates the activities of the three armed services and the National Police. The armed forces have a key role in the fight against all terrorism. The total active manpower of Colombian Armed Forces is around 280,000 personnel, and a Paramilitary force with 110,000 national police.
The Land Forces of Colombian army are composed with 220,000 soldiers with the structure:
- 7 divisions

- 17 bde
- 6 mech each with 3 inf, 1 mech cav, 1 arty, 1 engr bn, 2 air-portable each with 2 inf bn, 9 inf (8 with 2 inf bn, 1 with 4 inf bn), 2 arty bn
Army tps
- 9 Mobile Counter Guerrilla Force (bde) (each with1 cdo unit, 4 bn)
- 1 SF bde (4 bn), 1 counter-narcotics bde (3 bn), 1 Border Guard bde, 1 trg bde, 1 army avn ‘bde’ (1 avn, 1 hel bn), 4 high mtn inf bn, 1 anti-terrorism.

Military equipment and vehicles of Colombian Army of Colombia