Colombia buys 2 KC-390s from Embraer in $336 million deal
The Colombian Aerospace Force said the first aircraft is expected for delivery in 2029, and that a second will follow in 2030.
EXCLUSIVE: Amid US drug war, Colombia’s defense minister wants to make cocaine less potent
“If you make the invention, I’ll give you $1 million,” Colombia's Minister of Defense Pedro Sánchez told Breaking Defense.
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Island surge: the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control in action
Lightning Surge exercises are turning soldier feedback on NGC2 into operational software changes in days, not years.
Trump’s heavy hand in Latin America may erode US power
President Donald Trump’s tactics in Venezuela and other Latin American countries will ultimately have the opposite effect of what he’s trying to achieve, writes Daniel DePetris of Defense Priorities.
Colombia signs $3.6B deal for Gripen fighters
The deal covers 15 Gripen E one-seater aircraft, along with two Gripen F two-seaters and a host of equipment and weapons, the Swedish company announced. Delivery of the jets will take place between 2026 and 2032.
If the US cuts Colombian military aid, Bogota’s Black Hawks likely first to feel it
“If the mil-to-mil relationship can be salvaged and can be kept, that's worthwhile and that's meritorious,” Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart told Breaking Defense.
Colombia picks Saab Gripen for next fighter jet
Key specifics remain under wraps regarding a potential deal between Saab and Colombia, including the number of aircraft involved, delivery timelines, and the total cost of the agreement.
The defense intelligence community’s AI and cyber view forward
From AI adoption and agentic systems to Zero Trust and cyber resilience, Breaking Defense’s latest eBook brings together key reporting from DoDIIS 2026 on the technologies and strategies shaping the future of defense intelligence.
South American nations add ‘upgrading air forces’ to 2025 resolutions
As several countries pursue new fighter jets, experts told Breaking Defense it’s more about avoiding obsolescence than a southern arms race.
Spain signs $500M-plus deal for SIRTAP drones from Airbus
The Spanish Ministry of Defence said the aircraft will enter service in 2026 — an aggressive timeline considering Airbus only plans to have a prototype in the air by 2025.
Unmanned ground vehicles face a rare market challenge in South America: Horses
To be clear, interest in developing UGVs in South America does exist, albeit in the early stages and in the face of daunting natural landscape.
DSCA Looking At ‘Creative Financing’ For Future Foreign Military Sales
DSCA also is looking at ways to better advertise options like third-party transfers to potential foreign buyers, says Air Force FMS specialist Col. Anthony Walker.
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Physics AI is different and changes the way defense systems are designed
Models that replicate real-world physics streamline design, testing and iteration processes.
Army’s SFAB Trainers Go Head To Head With Chinese in Asia, Africa
Brig. Gen. Curtis Taylor acknowledged that in the Indo-Pacific, “it’s clear that we are in competition with China in every country that we’re going to.”
‘Thousands’ More Troops To US Border, But Colombia Deployment Unclear: Shanahan
Shanahan spent much of his first formal (albeit off-camera) Pentagon pressroom briefing as SecDef emphasizing continuity with his ousted predecessor, Gen. Jim Mattis. He made a point of praising Mattis’s National Defense Strategy, America’s allies, and even the press – not exactly favorites of President Donald Trump.
Rafael, Lockheed Pitch Spike Missile For Army Helicopters
Three weeks ago, US Army experts traveled to the Negev Desert to watch a test of the latest, longest-range version of Rafael’s Spike missile. Fired from an Israeli AH-64 Apache, the same gunship used by US attack helicopter squadrons, the Spike NLOS struck a target 20 miles away — four times the range of the […]
Trump’s Generals, Part 4: John Kelly vs. The Narco-Terrorists
Who are Trump’s generals? This week, James Kitfield has already told us about James Mattis and Michael Flynn, both men shaped by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now we come to John Kelly, whose time in Latin America, ironically, led him to similar conclusions about America’s enemies. As chief of US Southern Command, General […]