After having arrived days ago from the United States, the Argentine Navy is preparing for the official presentation of its second P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. The ceremony is scheduled for next Thursday, November 6, at the Aeroparque Military Air Station, and will mark a new milestone within the process of recovering exploration and naval air surveillance capabilities. With this incorporation, the Naval Aviation Command (COAN) is moving forward in the restoration of its long-range maritime patrol capacity, essential for the tasks of controlling the South Atlantic and for search and rescue missions on the high seas.
The aircraft, which will bear the registration “6-P-58,” completed its ferry flight from U.S. territory with a technical stop in Lima, Peru, before landing on October 14 at the Comandante Espora Naval Air Base. There, it began the final inspection process and the application of the paint scheme with the colors and insignias of the Argentine Navy. Once these works are completed, it will be officially incorporated into the Naval Exploration Squadron, based at Almirante Zar Base, under Naval Air Force No. 3.
The arrival of this second unit represents a significant step within the agreement signed with the Kingdom of Norway in October 2023, through which the Navy will incorporate four aircraft: three P-3C Orion and one P-3N. These platforms were selected for their excellent operational condition and their potential to restore the long-range maritime exploration capability lost after the old P-3B Orion aircraft, acquired in the mid-1990s, became inoperative — none of which remain in service today.
The inspection, modernization, and tuning work on the “6-P-58” was carried out by the company Rockland, based in the state of Florida, which is also responsible for the refurbishment of the two remaining aircraft that will complete the batch. It is estimated that the last P-3C and the P-3N (the latter configured for support and search and rescue (SAR) missions) will arrive in the country during 2026, in the first and second semesters, respectively.
The Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, publicly highlighted the effort of the national government and the Argentine Navy to recover the capacity for control and protection of the extensive maritime coastline. As he stated, these aircraft will make it possible to strengthen the surveillance of fishing resources, support joint operations with other forces, and participate in international missions of cooperation and humanitarian assistance, reaffirming the country’s commitment to the defense of its interests in the South Atlantic.
With the imminent presentation of the second P-3C Orion, the Argentine Navy continues advancing in the reestablishment of a strategic capability that had remained neglected for more than a decade. The future operation of these aircraft from Almirante Zar Base will not only strengthen national presence in the South Atlantic but also consolidate the modernization of Naval Aviation and its essential role in the defense and sovereignty of the Argentine maritime space.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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