Colombia Launches $1.68 Billion “Anti-Drone Shield” to Counter Armed Group Attacks

Colombia has launched a $1.68 billion project to develop an “anti-drone shield” aimed at protecting the country from attacks by unmanned drones used by illegal armed groups, Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Friday. Calling it one of the “boldest and most innovative strategies” for national security, Sanchez said the government has already approved $271.1 million for the first phase of the initiative.

The move comes amid rising drone warfare in Colombia’s long-running internal conflict, which has spanned six decades and claimed over 450,000 lives. Official data shows that between 2024 and 2025, Colombia recorded 264 drone attacks involving explosives, mainly in remote jungle and mountain regions linked to coca cultivation and cocaine production.

Authorities attributed the attacks to the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissidents of the former FARC guerrilla group. The drone strikes killed 15 soldiers and wounded 153 others during the two-year period. A meeting was held in Bogotá on Friday with countries and companies interested in participating in the project, though further details were not disclosed.

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