This footage, provided by the Colombian military, shows the crew of a 155-millimeter howitzer. They are reportedly using it to fire on a FARC guerilla encampment in the jungle beyond the firebase. Although FARC as a whole has stood down, dissident activity has been on a sharp increase, to which the Colombian government has swiftly on a war footing.

The weapon they're using here is a Santa Bárbara Sistemas 155/52, a 155-millimeter howitzer of Spanish origin. A fairly newer artillery system, having been introduced in 2002, it boasts a range of 30-40 km (19-25 mi) based on ammuntion type. Naturally, this represents a significant threat to FARC, who have scant means to detect or defend against an artillery barrage. However, while numbers to back this statement up have not been proffered, it has been suggested that the Colombian military has been reticent to use artillery on known and suspected FARC camps, lest they risk killing recruited children who may be present. That would make this fire mission a comparative rarity, and would help explain why most of the footage of Colombia's response to the FARC resurgence has been via helicopter.

About the Author

Cole Simms

Cole Simms is an Air Guardsman, NASA enthusiast, police officer, and security contractor with particular experience in austere environments. Outside of work, he volunteers as a Stop The Bleed instructor for area schools. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and blends his knowledge and experience to write analysis for Funker530.

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