The United States has officially handed 11 M1117 armored vehicles, also known as “Guardians,” to Colombia, following this week’s successful meeting between President Trump and President Petro.
During a ceremony held today at the Tolemaida military base near Bogota, acting U.S. Ambassador John McNamara formally delivered the vehicles to the Colombian Army. The move serves both as a diplomatic gesture in the wake of last Tuesday’s White House meeting between the two presidents and as a reminder of the longstanding military alliance between the United States and Colombia.
US gifts 11 Guardian armored vehicles to Colombia
The M1117 Armored Security Vehicle (ASV), also known as the Guardian, is a 4×4 armored fighting vehicle manufactured by Textron Marine & Land Systems. Originally developed for U.S. Army military police units, it excels in high-threat environments such as convoy protection, rear-area security, and police operations across urban, rural, and rugged terrains.
Design Features Weighing around 14-15 tons, the M1117 features a V-shaped hull for mine and IED resistance, meeting STANAG 4569 Level III protection against small arms fire, shrapnel, and artillery fragments up to 155mm at 15 meters. Powered by a 260-350 horsepower Cummins diesel engine, it achieves speeds up to 97-100 km/h with a 440-mile range, aided by an Allison transmission for off-road agility in jungles, mountains, deserts, or cities.
Armament includes a remote-controlled turret with an Mk 19 40mm grenade launcher, M2 .50-caliber machine gun, and often a 7.62mm coaxial M240, plus optional night vision, AC/heating, and add-on armor.
The Guardian was primarily and first used during U.S. military campaigns and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, supporting military police in law enforcement, prisoner handling, and high-mobility patrols under fire.
Colombia reportedly operates over 270 M1117s, donated by the U.S. since 2018, with batches including 20 in 2021, 200 in 2020, and 55 in 2024.
Dubbed “Pegasos,” they bolster counter-narcotics and anti-insurgency ops against armed groups such as ELN and Clan del Golfo (Gulf Clan), deployed in volatile areas such as Arauca, Catatumbo, Cauca, Nariño, Magdaleno Medio, Cordoba, and Bolivar.
#Colombia | 🇨🇴🇺🇸 | EE. UU. entrega 11 vehículos blindados a las Fuerzas Militares en Tolemaida para reforzar la lucha antiterrorista, tras reunión Petro–Trump en la Casa Blanca. #Seguridad #RelacionesBilaterales pic.twitter.com/YITHldGzqP
— 360 Radio (@360RadioCo) February 6, 2026
While the donation of such vehicles is nothing extraordinary in itself, the timing is striking, coming just a few days after the fruitful meeting between Trump and Petro at the White House.
As ideological differences and their respective controversial statements had eroded U.S.–Colombia relations, recent diplomatic efforts have appeared to put cooperation between Bogota and Washington back on track. Trump had notably withdrawn U.S. drug certification for Colombia and announced an end to U.S. aid to the country, before ultimately walking back that latter decision.
This donation is therefore significant, both in terms of political communication and in practical terms, at a time when Colombia is facing a resurgence and expansion of armed groups in recent years, emboldened by the Petro government’s attempts at peace talks.