Colombia orders 18 Israeli ATMOS 155mm self-propelled howitzers instead of French CAESAR.
According to information published on the "Defense News" website on January 6, 2023, Colombia ordered 18 Israeli-made ATMOS truck-mounted 155mm self-propelled howitzers manufactured by the company Elbit Systems instead of the French CAESAR.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The ATMOS is a truck-mounted 155mm self-propelled howitzer manufactured by the Israeli company Elbit Systems. (Picture source Army Recognition)
Colombia has finally chosen the Israeli-made ATMOS truck-mounted 155mm artillery system instead of the French CAESAR.
Colombia is now the second defense market in South America and the country also managed to sustain growth in 2020 with the defense budget increasing by 3% in real terms to US$9.4 billion. The Colombian Defense Ministry has a budget of approximately USD 10.9 billion, which is equivalent to roughly 12 percent of the total Colombian budget for 2022.
About four percent of the total budget (USD 528 million) will be invested in strengthening the security and strategic capacity of the Armed Forces, through the purchase of equipment, hardware, weapons, ammunition, and communication upgrades, and to carry out major scheduled maintenance or replacement for aging equipment.
Colombia’s armed forces have improved their training and overall capabilities in recent decades. Internal security remains a priority, and the armed forces are focused on conducting counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics operations.
The acquisition of the ATMOS 155mm self-propelled will strengthen the artillery power of the Colombian army which currently only has 120 towed howitzers including 22 LG1 Mk III, 85 M101, and 13 155/52 APU SBT-1.
The ATMOS was developed and designed by the Israeli company SOLTAM Systems. The vehicle is now marketed by the Israeli company Elbit Systems.It is a truck-mounted artillery system that can be based on a 6x6 or 8x8 truck chassis according to customer requirements. It is armed with 155mm 39, 45, and 52 caliber barrels. With the 155mm 52 caliber gun, it can fire all the standard NATO 155mm ammunition with a maximum firing range of 30 km. It can also fire Extended Range Full Bore Base Bleed (ERFB-BB) projectile with a maximum firing range of 41 km.
