Air Force

Uruguayan Defense Minister and a presidential candidate clash over Plane Shoot-down Bill

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The Uruguayan Defense Minister, Jose Bayardi, has contested the presidential candidate Luis Lacalle Pou’s proposal to issue a Plane Shoot-Down bill. Bayardi declared that “whoever advised him doesn’t know what it means, or the candidate misunderstood”. During a press conference, this Saturday,
Lacalle Pou insisted on the necessity to issue such a bill and recognized it as
urgent and one of his main interests if elected. “I know it’s a complex bill, we’ve
discussed it nationwide and abroad, it will serve as a deterrence mechanism for
drug trafficking” and further more “in such countries where it has been
implemented, it determines three steps that ultimately rely on an executive
decision by the President of the Republic”. Bayardi replied that such a crazy
argument relates more to an election interest other than actual defense
requirements.

Air Forces

The FA-50AR begins to take shape between Argentina and South Korea

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Weeks after the most recent statements, Argentine and South Korean government officials continue negotiations for the purchase of 10 FA-50 Golden Eagle Lead in Fighter Trainer (LIFT) aircraft, any consideration that Leonardo’s M-346FA might had, now is gone. Amid the lack of more detailed official information from any of both parties, some milestones have been disclosed and to confirm that an actual framework is being agreed upon after the highest level of argentine government has given the "go". Representatives of Argentina and South Korea are agreeing to set up a joint venture to build, develop and support the FA-50AR, presumably between the Fabrica Argentina de Aviones S.A. (FAdeA) and Korea Aerospace Industries. The South Korean Government holds the majority of the shares in KAI. The remaining stock is completed by Hanwha Techwin and the U.S. based, Blackrock Fund, which happened to have also recently opened a branch in Buenos Aires.

Air Forces

Argentina receives its first upgraded T-6C+ Texan II trainer

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The Argentine Air Force has received its first T-6C Texan II upgraded to C+ standard, the E-303 aircraft is one of the first 8 out of a current total of 12 requested aircraft. 4 others are soon to be delivered by Textron to the AAF. This upgrade allows the aircraft to make use of wet/dry hardpoints with fuel drop tanks, bombs, gun pods and rockets. Also specific to the AAF is the replacement of the original Cobham radio set. The remaining 7 original Texan II’s are to be upgraded in Argentina, the 4 other pending aircraft will be delivered as C+ standard.

Air Forces

Argentina still waits for its new Lightweight Multirole Fighter

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The Argentine Air Force lost its last supersonic fighters in late 2015 when the Dassault Mirages were taken out of service. These, by then 40+ year old aircraft, some of them veteran of two wars, were pretty much obsolete and had lost much of its logistical support. Air Superiority after that was left to the subsonic A-4M Skyhawk II, extensively upgraded in early 1990s with new avionics, full glass cockpit and a much capable nav/attack suite. Still, the now dubbed A-4AR “Fightinghawks”, lack any actual air superiority capacity but hold a very respected performance within WVR combat envelopes. As many of you can recall, these aircraft were used as part of the, Hollywood immortalized, “Top Gun” U.S. Navy Fighter School.

Argentina

Argentine Air Force and Army clash for surveillance radar choice and responsibilities for new roles

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The argentine armed forces have been taking new roles in surveillance for incursions on the Argentine northborder, both Fernandez de Kirchner and Macri administrations identified thiscritical requirement as a needed repurposing of an outdated and ineffective defense system. This being the leitmotiv of Frontera Norte and Integracion Frontera Norte operations, on military support of security forces on border surveillance with drug trafficking and smuggling in mind, from international crime organizations. For this purpose, many requirements for equipment have been submitted and some of them even fielded already. While being seen as an opportunity to a long delayed re-equipment of the armed forces with new and capable hardware, some turn to rejection of these new duties and the loss of military power itself turned to securitization. New radars for ground based short range surveillance have been required and determined by the Argentine Army from 2015 onward.

Air Forces

Argentina orders 4 Textron T-6C Texan II trainers and hopes for a new batch

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Finally, Argentina ordered the
last 4 of its first batch of 12 Textron’s T-6C Texan II. While struggling with
pending FMS payments, internal restructuring within the Ministry of Defense
granted the necessary funds to get the program back in action. Originally intended
as C+ versions, argentine Texan II’s are of C version as a setback during FMS
negotiation and delays for Argentinean payments. Having received 8 of 12 intended
aircraft, once the fleet is complete, spares and utilities will be provided
before converting the C into C+ variant. Among these improvements, Argentine
Air Force (FAA), intends to replace the Cobham communications systems to a new version,
other than issued.