A recent report from Zona Militer has unveiled the Colombian Army’s plans to bolster its armored vehicle inventory with the purchase of additional M1117 Armored Security Vehicle (ASV) from the United States. A commission from the Colombian Army is slated to journey to Herlon, California, specifically to the Sierra Army Depot, the largest repository of military vehicles in the U.S. Army, to conduct a Joint Visual Inspection of the acquired vehicles. This acquisition comprises 55 used M1117 ASV vehicles, procured under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program, which offers a cost-effective solution for enhancing the Colombian Army’s capabilities.
Two technical working groups will meticulously select these vehicles through visual inspections before they are transported to Colombia for nationalization and subsequent deployment to cavalry units across the country. The vehicles will undergo necessary maintenance procedures at the Maintenance Battalion No. 2 Cazilda Zafra, situated at the Tolemaida Military Base, before being deployed to their respective units. This acquisition marks a significant expansion of the Colombian Army’s armored fleet, with a total of 200 ASV M1117 vehicles to be acquired through bilateral agreements with the United States. The Colombian Army has procured 66 operational vehicles through direct purchase and two extra vehicles acquired in 2017, repurposed for intelligence or signal systems.
The M1117 Armored Security Vehicle (ASV) is an internal security vehicle based on the V-100 and V-150 Commando series of armored cars. The M1117 was one of the first U.S. military vehicles to be built on a specialized mine-resistant hull, and after 2001 was adopted in increasing numbers as a direct response to the threat posed by improvised explosive devices in Iraq and Afghanistan. The vehicle was utilized by American military police and convoy security units in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a more heavily protected and heavily armed alternative to the armored M1114 HMMWV aka “Humvee”, which was not originally designed to be a protected fighting vehicle. At about 15 tons, the M1117 ASV is lighter than the 20-ton Stryker ICV or 25-ton M2 Bradley armored vehicle.
The ASV uses an advanced modular expandable armor package from IBD Deisenroth Engineering, consisting of ceramic composite appliqué on the exterior and spall liner on the interior. The Guardian’s armor is designed to defeat small arms fire, mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The armor is angled, presenting no vertical surfaces, and deflects many rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) hits. It can reach 20 miles per hour in 7 seconds. The vehicle has a model MD3560 Allison Transmission. Front and rear independent suspension provides smooth highway speeds of up to 70 mph (110 km/h), while it is capable of fording 5-foot (1.5 m) depths of water, climbing gradients of 60%, negotiating 30% side slope. Six ASVs can be carried on a single Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlift aircraft and the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter is able to carry one ASV.
