The Argentine Army continues to evaluate options for the modernization of its Army Aviation, an initiative under which various alternatives are being considered — among them, the UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook, and CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters.
The need to modernize and recover Army Aviation capabilities was one of the topics recently discussed in an interview that Zona Militar conducted in the U.S. with the Chief of the Argentine Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Presti. The Army Chief’s visit to the United States took place within the framework of bilateral exchanges and meetings, during which he also attended AUSA 2025.
Addressing the current state of Army Aviation, Lieutenant General Presti not only expressed that the fleet of Bell UH-1H Huey and Huey II helicopters requires replacement due to years of service, but also detailed some of the capabilities to be recovered. “…The Army lost, more than 40 years ago, its capability for medium and heavy helicopters. The Chinooks were left in 1982 in the Malvinas, and they were never recovered again…”.
“…Now we are looking at possibilities and exploring options to begin renewing partially… Inoculating germs of innovation into a larger structure such as Army Aviation, which has dozens of Huey and Huey II helicopters…,” stated the Argentine Army Chief.
The process to modernize Army Aviation could take its first steps through the creation of an initial innovation cell, which could be composed of a small batch of UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, for example. The implementation of this initiative would open the door to creating and developing innovation conditions that could become part of a modular and scalable acquisition project.
Concrete steps: UH-60 Black Hawk
In the interview, Lieutenant General Presti stated that both the Argentine and U.S. Armies have been taking concrete steps toward incorporating UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Although he did not specify quantities or variants, it would involve an initial small batch intended to establish the aforementioned innovation cell.
It is worth noting that the Argentine Army launched a tender last year for the acquisition of three UH-60 Black Hawks, a process that was later put on hold for various reasons. With the increasingly close relationship between Argentina and the U.S., the acquisition of new helicopters could become a reality in the medium term.
However, the Army Chief also emphasized the challenges that projects such as the incorporation of medium and heavy helicopters entail — from budgetary aspects to timelines and the training of pilots, engineers, and technical personnel.
Heavy-lift helicopters: CH-47 Chinook and CH-53 Sea Stallion
Within the framework of modernization and new capability acquisition, the Army is also evaluating options to fill the heavy-lift helicopter role. In this case, the CH-47 Chinook and CH-53G Sea Stallion are under consideration.
Regarding the CH-53 option, Lieutenant General Presti explained, “…The Aviation people are carrying out the evaluations… They need to analyze how many flight hours those helicopters have remaining, as well as their costs…”.
The offer of CH-53s corresponds to units currently operated by the German Air Force. Despite having been modernized to various standards, these helicopters have several decades of service, which is why their remaining service life and operational costs are being assessed.
The other option is the CH-47 Chinook — a model Argentina had already shown interest in acquiring several years ago, though the plan never materialized. At that time, second-hand units were considered, but the almost nonexistent availability forced the country to look at brand-new aircraft, which proved prohibitively expensive.
Given the strong relationship re-established in recent years with the U.S. Army, the intention to incorporate Chinooks could now be successful, especially if second-hand Foxtrot variants become available.
Projects such as the incorporation of medium and heavy-lift helicopters for Army Aviation are part of a long list of initiatives the Force hopes to advance, with objectives set for the medium and long term.
*Credits: Argentine Army
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