Bogotá has announced Vanguardia del Sur 2026 at Tolemaida, while SOUTHCOM lists the exercise as Southern Vanguard 2027 and gives a Nov. 2 start date.
The ministry gives Oct. 27 to Nov. 11 as the exercise period and says its first activity, an aeromedical evacuation simulation, is scheduled for Oct. 30. U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) identifies the event as Southern Vanguard 2027 and lists Monday, Nov. 2, as its scheduled start, with the exercise continuing into mid-November.
Under Colombia’s plan, its Counter-Narcotics Battalion No. 1 will train with light infantry troops from a U.S. Army mountain battalion. The ministry says the curriculum will cover countering narcotics networks, illegal mining activity and risks posed by unmanned aircraft.
SOUTHCOM estimates about 800 people will take part, including roughly 350 U.S. military personnel and more than 400 Colombian soldiers. The command describes the event as its 41st iteration and says the training aims to counter regional threats, strengthen partner capacity and improve readiness.
A medical simulation planned for Oct. 30 will involve transporting a simulated casualty from Tolemaida to the Cavalry School in Bogotá. SOUTHCOM says the scenario will assess teams’ immediate-care and first-aid skills; aircraft and specialized medical equipment are planned to support the transfer of a person simulating a mine injury. The Oct. 30 scenario is scheduled before SOUTHCOM’s Nov. 2 start date.
