President Javier Milei’s recent statements have confirmed long-awaited news within the defense sector: the Argentine Navy is moving toward restoring its Submarine Force through a future acquisition of units produced by French shipyards. Although the president did not provide further details, everything indicates that Argentina has decided to move forward with the incorporation of submarines from the Scorpène family.
Just under a year ago, Argentina’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the signing of a Letter of Intent for the acquisition of new Scorpène-class attack submarines for the Argentine Navy. “…This first milestone in the negotiations between the governments of Argentina and France took place during the visit of the Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, to the European country, where a bilateral agenda was carried out that included meetings with France’s Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu…,” we reported at the time from Zona Militar.
Back then, sources close to the Ministry of Defense indicated that the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent would be the first step toward formalizing, in the medium term, the acquisition of three Scorpène-class submarines, without offering further details. It is worth noting that the administration had planned to include the submarine purchase in the 2025 Budget Bill—an initiative that ultimately was not approved. The investment amount, projected in the Public Credit Operations Annex, totaled USD 2.3 billion.
Options Considered
The restoration of the Argentine Navy’s submarine capability has been a long-standing project, originating after the tragic loss of ARA San Juan (S-42). Both the previous administration and the current one evaluated various proposals submitted by some of Europe’s most prominent shipyards.
Among the options under consideration, the Cabinet Office stated in its May 2024 Report No. 139 that “…for the Navy of the Argentine Republic, several proposals are being evaluated for the construction of 3 ‘SCORPENE’ class or ‘209’ class submarines. Additionally, the possibility of acquiring a ‘transitional’ submarine is also being evaluated. The timeline for incorporating these systems is an integral part of the ongoing discussions…”.
With the selection process still unresolved, the German government moved forward in early 2025 with the approval of guarantees designed to provide the necessary support for the submarine proposal submitted by TKMS (ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems), based on the Type 209NG design, to move ahead.
One advantage of the German submarines is the Argentine Navy’s extensive experience operating units of this origin, including both Type 209/1200 submarines and the TR-1700 class. Furthermore, Argentine submarine officers and trainees maintain a close relationship with the Peruvian Navy, which provides its Type 209/1200 submarines for the training and qualification of Argentine personnel.
For their part, experience with French shipyards is more recent thanks to the acquisition of the OPV 87/90-class offshore patrol vessels, a purchase initiated during the administration of President Mauricio Macri and completed under President Fernández. Notably, it was one of the few major defense projects—valued at around 300 million euros—that transcended administrations of different political orientations, something that should not be unusual but is considered an achievement in Argentina.
The acquisition of the OPV 87/90-class vessels was not only Argentina’s first experience with the French shipbuilder Naval Group, but it also helped strengthen ties with the French industry and the French Navy. It is also worth highlighting the precedent set in terms of financing—an important aspect that is likewise expected for the potential acquisition of Scorpène submarines.
Long-Term Outcomes
Purchasing highly complex systems such as the conventionally powered Scorpène-class attack submarines requires evaluation within a medium- to long-term framework—not only due to construction timelines but also because of all the cycles that must be completed before the units enter active service.
For this reason, the president’s announcement comes as welcome news for Argentina’s defense community. Few administrations have taken such a significant step toward re-equipping the Argentine Navy, especially considering that the final results may well be seen under a government of a different political orientation.
For now, the next step is the formalization of a contract. Such an agreement would not only mark the first step toward recovering a capability the Argentine Navy should never have lost, but it is also expected to produce effects similar to those generated by other major programs—such as the incorporation of F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighters into the Argentine Air Force.
Illustrative cover image. Credits: U.S. Navy – Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sara Eshleman
