Colombian Air Force Negotiates the Acquisition of Additional T-6C Texan II Trainers

The Colombian Air Force (FAC) is in negotiations with Textron Aviation to acquire additional T-6C Texan II trainers.

Colombia’s Air Force (FAC) is negotiating with Textron Aviation to acquire four additional T-6C Texan II trainers, Defense News reported on August 11, 2023.

The negotiations were confirmed by Brett Pierson, president and CEO of Textron Aviation Defense, on his social networks.

“Great meeting today with Colombian Air Force discussing their future T-6C needs. The T-6C is a key enabler for advanced pilot training and light attack missions,” Pierson wrote on his Twitter account.

The potential deal, valued at $38 million, would increase the FAC’s fleet of T-6Cs to 10 aircraft. The service currently operates six T-6Cs, which are used for advanced pilot training.

The Beechcraft T-6C Texan II story in Colombia begins in 2020, when an order is placed for 8 of these aircraft, to replace the old Cessna T-37B ‘Tweet’ in their task of advanced pilot training.

The first two T-6Cs arrived in Colombia in July 2021, and so far six units have already been received, which are the next step in the training of FAC pilots, after the modernized Embraer AT-27M Tucano.

According to the sources, the armed aircraft would be used for tactical combat flight training with a secondary light attack role. They would also replace A-37B light attack aircraft and complement Colombia’s fleet of 24 Embraer AT-29 Super Tucano ground attack and counterinsurgency (COIN) Embraer AT-29s.

The Colombian Air Force also considered purchasing an advanced trainer/LIFT jet with light combat capability, having received offers from Leonardo for its M-346FA and KAI for the FA-50, but such a purchase will have to wait until the IAI Kfir fleet is replaced.

See also: No Rafale, No Gripen: Colombian Air Force fails to close new fighter deal and Kfir fleet won’t have a replacement

Errata

In the first version of this article, the erroneous version that the Colombian Air Force would be negotiating with Textron Aviation the eventual purchase of 24 T-6C Texan II, both for training purposes and for light attack missions, was reproduced. However, this information was denied by the press team of the company. So far, the FAC has acquired six T-6Cs.