After some back and forth, Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri confirmed to Zona Militar that the initial payment for the four Norwegian P-3C/N Orion maritime surveillance aircraft acquired by Argentina has already been made. The head of the ministry made these remarks during a patrol operation in the Exclusive Economic Zone carried out that day, an activity involving assets from the Argentine Navy and Air Force.
When asked by Zona Militar about short-term developments related to the P-3 Orion aircraft, Minister Petri clarified the situation regarding the payments agreed upon in the contract with the Norwegian Defense Material Agency, stating that “…no payments had been made before December 10, not a single one…”.
Petri also mentioned some omissions in the agreement for the purchase of the Norwegian Orions, as the contract was signed without a clause guaranteeing the operability of one of its main detection systems: the Raytheon AN/APS-137B(V)5 radar. By not considering this detail, the Orions were going to be incorporated by the Naval Aviation without the assurance of having in service (or that it would be extended over time) one of its essential tools for surveillance and control of the Argentine EEZ.
It is worth noting that the AN/APS-137(V)5 search radar is part of the sensor suite equipped on the Norwegian P-3 Orion aircraft. When decommissioned, the Norwegian surveillance aircraft also had the AN/AAS-36 Infrared Detecting Set (IRDS), the AN/AAR-47 missile approach warning system, AN/ALR-66 electronic support measures, AN/ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detector, AN/USQ-78 acoustic processing and display system, as well as the capability to launch and operate sonobuoys.
The scope of the systems that will come with the Norwegian Orions has not been officially detailed, but as is usual in these cases, it is possible that some of them will be removed due to their sensitivity. However, the radar and EO/IR system are essential tools for surveillance and control tasks, so their presence should be guaranteed.
In his statements during the press conference, Minister Petri emphasized that “…Not only have we made the payment, but the P-3s will also arrive with the radars in service…”. However, the Minister did not provide further details on the arrival date of the Orions in the country, mentioning that “…the aircraft will be arriving in the coming months…”.
Petri highlighted the acquisition of the Norwegian P-3N/C Orions, as the surveillance aircraft will improve the capabilities of the Naval Aviation, allowing Argentina to once again carry out control tasks in its extensive EEZ. Currently, the Navy only has some B-200 aircraft for patrol duties, as the P-3B Orions have not been operational for years, while the S-2T Turbo Trackers await funding availability for their return to service. In parallel, the refurbishment of the sole Orion is also underway, work that FAdeA should complete during this year.
Illustrative cover image. Photo: Forsvaret.
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