2023-07-15 06:02:49
12:01 AM
The Government of the United States is looking for Colombia to modernize, yes or yes, the military technology of the Air Force, and that interest brought the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Security of the State Department, Mira Resnick, to the country.
The official from Secretary Anthony Blinken’s office is in charge of transferring military technology to all countries and landed in Medellín with the aim of convincing the Gustavo Petro administration that the House of Nariño acquire fourth-class F-16 fighter planes. generation, the same ones that Chile has already acquired and that Turkey is regarding to buy.
The White House is convinced that the country must modernize its fleet even if peace is being negotiated with groups outside the law and warns the country’s defense sector: Colombian military technology is aging.
What brings you to Colombia?
“I am here to discuss with the Government, the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense what their priorities are and our shared interests, also to meet with the American industry that is here showing the technological superiority of the United States.”
How is the relationship in terms of security between Colombia and the United States?
“The relationship right now seems as strong as ever. We have had, as I say, very good meetings with the Ministry of Defense, and it seems to me that it continues at a good pace. We continue to exercise together, sharing priorities, reviewing and reassessing what our joint interests are and how the United States can help Colombia face threats.”
What are these joint interests of which you speak?
“We are focused on the modernization of the Air Force. Either the provision of C-130 Hercules aircraft or Blackhawks helicopters to modernize the fleet of combat aircraft.
We are reviewing which aircraft Colombia will prioritize in its own budget and which the United States will be able to contribute in its budget for foreign militaries because we will work together to address these modernization efforts. Colombia, like many of our partners, has been working with the same team for a long time, and it is important that it is up to date with technology.”
Is the goal for Colombia to buy that military technology?
“I think there will be a mix. Our aid budget to Colombia is robust, every year we get together with the Colombian military and the Ministry of Defense to revalidate what we call the Security Sector Assistance Review, which basically goes through the United States assistance program and looks at how are shared procurement decisions to address the threats facing Colombia”.
Are we talking regarding how much new equipment for the Military Forces?
“We’re not talking regarding specific numbers yet, but Colombian aircraft are getting old and it’s something we’ve been talking regarding for a long time.”
The United States is interested in Colombia acquiring F-16 aircraft. How important is this technology?
“It is important that we are interoperable with our partners and that our partners are interoperable in the region. Some like Chile have already chosen the F-16, which is a fourth generation fighter jet, and there are a number of partners around the world who are considering the F-16 because of its proven abilities and ability to operate with us, together with us”.
The Government is making a commitment to peace by talking with groups like the ELN. If there is peace, we might say that this defense material would not be needed. Do you see this modernization as necessary despite the advances in peace?
“Along with those peace efforts there also have to be deterrence efforts. And the F-16 fighter jet is really a symbol of deterrence, to make sure that those actors around you understand what Colombia is capable of, the ranges of Colombian planes and the capabilities of operating alongside others to be able to project power. in the region”.
Colombia also has Russian military technology. Does the US government see a risk in acquiring this material from the Kremlin and not from the White House?
“Those countries that bought Russian equipment in the past will see that they cannot get spare parts, maintenance, that they will not be able to maintain those aircraft in the future. The United States and our partners have sanctioned the Russian defense industry to the point where they cannot obtain financing, support their security partnerships, or access the raw materials to produce those replacement parts. The Russian defense industry is suffering from strategic failure right now and Russian security partners are unable to support their equipment, including Russian aircraft.”
Venezuela, for example, also has Russian weapons. What reading do you make of that?
“Each country will make its sovereign decision, but I don’t see any country that makes that decision to support the Russian defense industry being able to do it in the long term.”
So, are you looking for Colombia not to support the Russian military industry?
“Yeah. What we are asking any partner that has current Russian equipment is to get rid of it because you won’t be able to operate it for much longer, also because we want to make sure that you are not supporting the Russian defense industry, which is killing the Ukrainians on the battlefield.
Do you see risks to regional security involving Colombia?
“There are still problems throughout the region, whether from state or non-state actors, but those are going to be decisions that the Colombian government will have to make.”
The government is talking to groups considered illegal by the United States. Will there be a change in your administration’s reading of these groups, so that the next step for peace can be taken?
“We understand that President Petro has announced a six-month ceasefire with the ELN and we will support efforts to ensure that violence between terrorist and criminal groups is reduced, also at the time we supported the 2016 Peace Agreement, in which that we have invested 1,500 million dollars. So I will let others comment further on the subject, but it seems that there are changes at a good pace on the part of the Colombian government”.
Is it time for Ukraine to join NATO?
“We are proud of this week’s Vilnius Summit and how NATO expansion has progressed with the entry of Finland and Sweden. This is the exact opposite of what President Putin set out to do when he invaded Ukraine because what he has done ever since is strengthen NATO’s unity and resolve. We have established a plan and eventually, once there is consensus among the members, Ukraine will join.”
Will there be a transfer of aircraft from the United States to Ukraine?
“Right now we are focused on training. We are working with European partners to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s. This is tough training, but the Ukrainians have shown many times over the last year and a half that they are extremely competent and capable of picking up new skills very quickly. We are very confident in this training session”.
Finally, what is the message of the Government of the United States to the Government of Colombia?
“It is a message of association. It is a message to work together to be able to address the modernization efforts of Colombia”.
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