Colombia on Friday announced a $1.68 billion project to develop an anti-drone shield aimed at protecting the country from attacks by unmanned drones operated by illegal armed groups, Defense Minister Pedro Arnulfo Sanchez said.
“Colombia is embarking on one of the boldest and most innovative strategies for our national security and defense,” Sanchez said in a video statement. He added that the government had approved a budget of $271.1 million for the first phase of the project, which will focus on research, development, and initial deployment.
A meeting was held on Friday in Bogotá with countries and companies interested in contributing to the program, though officials did not disclose further details, Sanchez said, The project is intended to integrate advanced detection, tracking, and neutralization technologies to prevent drones from carrying explosives or conducting reconnaissance over military installations and civilian areas.
The initiative comes amid a rising threat from unmanned aerial attacks in Colombia. Between 2024 and 2025, authorities recorded 264 drone attacks, primarily in dense jungles and mountainous regions used for coca cultivation, the base ingredient in cocaine production. These attacks were attributed to the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). According to official statistics, the attacks left 15 soldiers dead and wounded 153 others.
The use of drones by armed groups has added a new dimension to Colombia’s decades-long internal conflict, which has involved military and police forces, leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitary groups, and drug cartels. The conflict, now more than six decades old, has claimed over 450,000 lives.
The anti-drone shield is expected to provide Colombian forces with a strategic advantage, enabling them to monitor and intercept drone activity over remote and vulnerable regions. Sanchez said the system would allow security forces to respond more quickly to threats, reduce casualties, and protect both military personnel and civilian populations. Analysts say such capabilities could also strengthen Colombia’s counter-narcotics operations, by limiting the ability of armed groups to surveil or target key government installations in coca-growing regions.
The project complements other military modernization efforts in Colombia. In November, the government signed a 3.1 billion-euro ($3.6 billion) agreement with Swedish company Saab to purchase 17 Gripen fighter jets over the next five years. The anti-drone shield and fighter jets are part of broader efforts to enhance Colombia’s aerial capabilities and maintain operational advantage against evolving threats.
