A light sandwich lunch is served at 12.50pm before the seminar. 

Between the years of 1995 and 2000, Colombia was facing a critical security threat that the Army could not effectively manage. To turn this around, it required both depth in operation, and sustainment 24 hours a day, the operational capabilities that only a dedicated aviation fleet could provide.

With the re-activation of the Aviation Branch in August 1995, the Colombian National Army began a process of aircraft acquisition, crew training, and development of logistical capabilities, while simultaneously transforming the way it conducted its operations. What started as an Aviation Detachment, in less than 20 years, became the Colombian Army Aviation and Air Assault Division, a combat unit supporting the Colombian Army and the Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.

This talk will cover the history and development of the Colombian Army Aviation Branch, operational and strategic victories, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the uncertainty of the future.

Santiago Posada is an active duty Aviation Officer in the Colombian National Army, currently reading for a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Latin American Studies from the United States Military Academy at West Point and is a qualified Black Hawk Helicopter Pilot.