Colombia launches major counter-drone program after US hits Venezuela

Colombia announced that it is launching a COP 6.2 trillion (approximately $1.6 billion) National Anti-Drone Shield, a move taken directly in response to the recent US military strike on Venezuela, the Colombian government said in an official statement, Report informs via Defense Blog.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the program creates a nationwide detection and interdiction architecture designed to counter unmanned aerial threats across Colombia's territory, including border zones, critical infrastructure, and major population centers. The ministry said the decision was accelerated after the US attack on Venezuelan air-defense assets earlier this month, which heightened regional security concerns and prompted Bogotá to reassess its vulnerability to long-range and cross-border drone incursions.

The ministry said the National Anti-Drone Shield will be built as an integrated, multi-layered system combining early-warning sensors, electronic warfare tools, physical interceptors, and command-and-control nodes. Colombia described the effort as the country's largest investment to date in airspace security.