Faced with the need to move forward with the modernization of its rotary-wing assets, the Argentine Army (EA) is evaluating different alternatives to restart the procurement process for UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, after the public tender launched in late 2024 was annulled for budgetary reasons. This effort responds to the urgency of replacing the veteran Bell UH-1H and Huey II helicopters, which have already reached more than five decades of service, and seeks to resume a program considered essential to recover transport, air assault, and joint operations support capabilities.
The 2024 acquisition process, originally aimed at incorporating three units through public tender 84/7-0942-LPU24, was to be framed within the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. However, it was officially canceled in January 2025 due to the lack of necessary funds. According to the administrative file, the tender was postponed “due to budget reallocations and pending approval of the 2025 National Budget,” which resulted in the cancellation of the contract. Beyond its administrative nature, the decision exposed the structural difficulty the Army faces in sustaining a continuous re-equipment plan, in a context of financial constraints and the absence of funds allocated to major equipment investments.
In parallel, contacts with strategic partners have intensified from the Army General Staff to reactivate the project. The recent visit by the Director of Army Aviation, Brigadier General Sergio Di Clemente, to the Georgia National Guard Center was framed within the State Partnership Program with the United States, aimed at strengthening interoperability and deepening institutional ties between both forces. This type of exchange, in addition to fostering training and technical cooperation, lays the groundwork for a future acquisition under FMS or Excess Defense Articles (EDA) schemes.
At the time, the Chief of the Argentine Army (currently Minister of Defense), Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Presti, had highlighted the need to renew the Bell UH-1H helicopter fleet and recover lost capabilities, such as those provided by the Puma, Super Puma, and Chinook: “The Army lost, more than 40 years ago, the capability it had of medium and heavy helicopters. The Chinooks were left in the Malvinas in 1982 and were never recovered.” His statement summarizes the magnitude of the current challenge, where the lack of medium- and heavy-lift aircraft limits the operational reach of Army Aviation.
The urgency of replacement is explained not only by the age of the Huey and Huey II helicopters, but also by the progressive reduction of remaining flight hours and rising maintenance costs. The Huey II conversion program initiated in 2004, which managed to modernize barely around twenty units, extended the service life of the fleet but did not meet the need to incorporate new-generation platforms capable of operating with greater payload, safety, and efficiency. In recent years, the only concrete acquisitions in the helicopter segment were the Bell 407 GXi aircraft intended for high-mountain operations, assigned to the Army Aviation Section based in Mendoza. While they represented an advance in performance and equipment, the challenge now is to cover the transport and assault niche historically fulfilled by the UH-1H. Meanwhile, the definitive retirement of the SA332 Super Puma system (of which only one remained operational out of the three units acquired in the mid-1980s) further deepened the capability gap.
In this context, the Army is analyzing different alternatives to reconstitute its fleet. One of them contemplates resuming contacts with Israeli companies, which in June 2024 presented a proposal to offer modernized UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters sourced from surplus stock of the United States Army. These aircraft, subjected to an overhaul and upgrade program, could represent an intermediate solution with lower cost and faster delivery, although their realization would depend on a budgetary reformulation and a political agreement guaranteeing financing.
At the regional level, several countries are advancing in the renewal of their army aviation assets. Brazil, for example, presented in December 2025 the first of its twelve UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, acquired through the FMS program for USD 950 million. The operation, approved by the United States Congress in 2024, marks a qualitative leap in the transport and maneuver capability of the Brazilian Army. Cases like this illustrate the regional trend toward comprehensive modernization of utility fleets, in line with doctrines that prioritize tactical mobility and interoperability.
The reactivation of the Black Hawk program for the Argentine Army will require, first and foremost, political will and financial predictability. According to the 2026 budget bill, annual defense spending will represent just 0.28% of GDP, the lowest level in recent years. With that margin, any attempt to relaunch the tender will be subject to discretionary reallocations or extraordinary funding. Nevertheless, the sustained interest of the Force, combined with the continuity of the bilateral relationship with the United States, could generate the necessary conditions for the project to regain momentum.
Ultimately, the future of the program will depend on the ability of the Argentine State to define strategic priorities and sustain them over time. Modernizing Army Aviation not only involves replacing the veteran UH-1H helicopters, but also rebuilding an essential capability for deployment and tactical mobility. If realized, the incorporation of the Black Hawk would represent far more than a technical update: it would be the first tangible step toward the full recovery of the Argentine Army’s airmobility.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
*Translated by Constanza Matteo
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