Marines: Hovercraft Roam The Rivers Of Colombia

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November 18, 2013: The Colombian Navy recently received the first two of eight 2000TD hovercraft. This model displaces 3.5 tons and can carry 16 troops or 2 tons of cargo. Normally a 2000TD has a crew of three but can get by with just one operator. This hovercraft can glide over water or land at up to 63 kilometers an hour and will not set off mines. On internal fuel the vehicle has a range of over 500 kilometers.

First introduced in the early 1990s, the 2000TD was supplemented in 2008, with the introduction of the 2400TD. The 2400TDs have greater capacity, capability, and reliability. The 2400TD class craft can carry 16 marines, and their weapons, or 2.2 tons of cargo. The 2400TD model carries a 7.62mm machine-gun and has light weight armor, to provide protection from small arms fire and shell fragments. Each of the 2000TD or 2400TD hovercraft costs between one and two million dollars depending on model and options. Nearby Peru has been using 2000TD hovercraft for two years now, so the Colombians know what they are getting.

These smaller hovercraft are mainly used on rivers and nearby swamps. Colombia will sometimes use their 2000TDs for raids and other commando and amphibious operations, but mostly they will be used in pairs for patrolling rivers and swampy areas that are otherwise inaccessible.

 

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