Colombian Air Force The Colombian Air Force or FAC ( ) is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia . The Colombian Air Force ( FAC ) is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia , charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia ' s airspace to defend the sovereignty , territorial integrity and constitutional order . It is one of the largest American air forces ( second after U . S . ) and increased activity due to its important role in the fight against narco - terrorism . Air Force is the only global processes that have accredited with ISO 9001 and NTCGP 1000 . The system corresponds to ISO 9001 quality management with the international standard , which inscribed the FAC as a world - class organization . The second certificate , the NTCGP 1000 , corresponds to the technical standard of quality of governance , as a result of Act 872 of 2003 requires all public bodies to implement the quality management system by December 2008 . The FAC has the distinction of having been used in missions of observation and aerial combat from the Colombian - Peruvian war of 1932 , never elected government was ousted by force , as the FAC helped quell many rebellions from terrorism , military and political . The Colombian Air Force also served with distinction during the Second World War in the islands of San Andrés . History . Creation . Military aviation began in Colombia in 1919 with the creation of a military aviation school for the Colombian Army . Previously by Law 15 of 1916 of September 7 two commissions were sent overseas to study new technological advancements in aviation , infantry , cavalry , engineering and trains . Officers pertaining to the Colombian Army were also sent to take a course on flight training on techniques and tactics . The school was then created in Colombia along with the Colombian National Army Aviation as a fifth regiment by Law 126 of 1919 of December 31 authorized by President of Colombia , Marco Fidel Suárez . The unit was officially activated on February 15 , 1921 in Flandes , Department of Tolima with the support of a French mission led by Lieutenant Colonel Rene Guichard . The Aviation School initially had 3 Caudron G . 3 E - 2 , 3 Caudron G . 4 A - 2 and four Nieuport Delage 11 C - 1 . The school was closed due to financial hardships in 1922 . The School of Military Aviation was reopened on November 8 , 1924 in Madrid , Department of Cundinamarca with the support of a Swiss mission headed by Captain Henry Pillichody . The aircraft used for training were 4 Wild WT and 8 Wild X performing the first air review on August 7 , 1927 . Then on December 28 , 1928 the first combat aircraft was shown in Colombia , the Curtiss Falcon O - 1 . War with Peru . On September 1 , 1932 civilian Peruvians illegally crossed into Colombian territory and invaded the town of Leticia in the Colombian Amazon arguing and claiming that the town was original Peruvian territory . The Colombian military aviation only had 11 instructors , four Curtiss - Wright CW - 14R Osprey air combat support planes and one Curtiss Falcon O - 1 . The military aviation then received full financial support from the Congress of Colombia . Colombia bought aircraft from Germany and the United States , while others were activated from the airline operating in Colombia SCADTA ( Sociedad Colombo - Alemana de Transporte Aéreo ) and their pilots , which included some German citizens , one of these was Major Herbert Boy . The imported aircraft were 4 Junkers F . 13 , 4 Junkers W 34 and 3 Junkers K 43 , 6 Junkers Ju 52 , 2 Dornier Merkur II , 4 Dornier Wal , 20 Curtiss Falcon F - 8F and 30 Curtiss Hawk II F - 11C . The contingent was then sent to southern Colombia to fight Peruvian forces with the main mission of delivering supplies to the front lines , aerial reconnaissance and air to land attacks . The fleet was divided into three squadrons with Puerto Boy as the main camp site . Support bases were in Caucaya airstrip ( Puerto Leguízamo ) , El Encanto , Puerto Arica , La Pedrera and Tarapacá . The main combat operations started on February 14 , 1933 in Tarapacá where the Peruvian garrison was bombed by seven Colombian aircraft and later assaulted by land forces . Later , on March 26 , in the village of Guepi eleven Colombian planes and two cannon boats ( MC Cartagena y MC Santa Marta ) bombarded Peruvian positions and took over the town . The last military actions of the conflict with Peru were on May 8 , 1933 and in which there was an aerial engagement between the two forces . Peruvian planes were attacking the fluvial fleet of Colombia over the Algodón River and were surprised by the Colombian squadron . One of the Peruvian aircraft , a Douglas O - 38P was gunned down and taken to Colombian territory . On May 24 , 1933 a cease fire was declared after an agreement was reached with the intervention of the League of Nations . The town of Leticia was returned to Colombia . The captured plane was then returned to Peru . As a result of the war , four pilots died in four accidents during non - combat related actions . Among these was one of the German pilots . Four planes were lost in these accidents a Falcon O - 1 , an Osprey C - 14 , a Junker F - 13 and a Curtiss F - 11 . World War II . The Second World War was the diplomatic breach between Colombia and the Axis countries ( Germany , Italy and Japan ) , December 18 , 1941 , when President Eduardo Santos took the decision following the Japanese attack on military bases , naval and U . S . carriers at Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . Thereafter , the Colombian government introduced special measures to limit and counter the Axis military action in areas of national jurisdiction . However , the June 23 , 1942 a German submarine attacked and sank the schooner Colombian " Resolute " , 50 miles northwest of the island of San Andrés . The same schooner had rescued some Marine officers and 23 British Royal Navy survivors of a capsized ship , 200 miles north of Cartagena just five days before . Following these events , the government took the decision to patrol and monitor the Pacific Coast and the Colombian Caribbean coast . The Palanquero Air Base commanders decided to move one fighter squadron and a Combat Reconnaissance Squadron , consisting of F - 8 Falcon aircraft , to Barranquilla . In 1943 , the Falcons were relieved of their mission and replaced by the AT - 6 Texan . This Squadron was active until 1945 , when the AT - 6 were transferred back to Palanquero Air Base . Organization . Combat Air Commands ( " Comando Aéreo de Combate " or CACOM ) : Transportation and Maintenance : Air Groups : Training : Airline : Personnel . As of 2010 , the Air Force fields approximately 13 , 500 personnel , including 2 , 171 officers , 3 , 304 Non - commissioned officers , 903 student officers , 4 , 673 soldiers , these usually allocated to base security , Military Police etc . , and 2 , 382 civilians , the latter usually dedicated to specialized technical or professional activities , e . g . medical , communications , etc . Ranks & Insignias . The tables below display the rank structures and rank insignias for the Colombian Air Force personnel . Aircraft inventory . FAC is not Colombia ' s exclusive operator of military aircraft , other inventories are maintained by the Colombian Army , Colombian Navy , and the Colombian National Police . Due to its responsibilities the Colombian National Army Aviation operates the biggest helicopter inventory in Colombia . Aircraft identification . The aircraft used by the Colombian Air Force are identified with the letters " FAC " followed by three or four numbers numbers that are painted on the tail , nose and nose landing gear doors . The serial numbers are assigned according to the aircraft ' s primary role as follows :