After the purchase of the F-16s, these are the reequipment projects for the Argentine Armed Forces awaiting definition

Por

22 April, 2024

The signing of the purchase contract for the 24 F-16A/B MLU fighter jets from Denmark for the Argentine Air Force represented a breath of fresh air for the ailing National Defense system. If the acquisition materializes within the planned timelines and receives the necessary budgetary support for its operation and sustainment, it would translate into the restoration of supersonic flight capabilities for the Argentine Air Force (FAA) and the incorporation of new capabilities such as guided weaponry and beyond-visual-range weaponry deployment. However, the purchase of combat aircraft cannot overshadow the urgent need of the rest of the branches of the Argentine Armed Forces, which also require the recovery and incorporation of new capabilities. Below, we will provide a brief list of some of these items related to the Argentine Army and Argentine Navy.

Argentine Army
Given the renewed alignment of the national government with the United States and the presentation of renewed proposals, one of the programs that could gain traction in the coming months is the acquisition of 8×8 Wheeled Armored Combat Vehicles (IFV) for the Argentine Army. Although there is no official definition, the reality shows that in recent months the U.S. proposal for the M1126 Stryker has gained traction. However, in order to incorporate a capability that the army currently lacks, offers from third countries and companies such as New Zealand and GDLS, through the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), for second-hand units from the LAV III family are also being considered. This would allow for a rapid incorporation of these armored vehicles while progressing with subsequent batches from the United States, a country that has even offered the possibility of local production.

Another long-term program that showed progress during the past year is the TAM 2C-A2 Modernization Program. The latest news reported by the Argentine Army itself was the completion of the Crew Instructor Course for TAM 2C-A2 combat vehicles, carried out under the coordination of the Argentine Army’s General Directorate of Research and Development, the Cavalry School, and Elbit Systems Ltd.

It is worth noting that the modernization of the TAM 2C-A2 is one of the most important ongoing projects of the Argentine Army. The program gained momentum and consolidated in recent years with the realization of the new prototype, which incorporated various modifications compared to the original TAM 2C. The initiative was also accompanied by a series of tenders and agreements for the purchase of components, work on turrets, and the manufacturing of skirts, among other aspects.

Argentine Navy

Possibly the program with the highest chances of gaining traction soon is the long-delayed incorporation of P-3C/N Orion maritime surveillance and patrol aircraft into the Argentine Naval Aviation. As previously reported, despite the signing of purchase agreements during October 2023, delays in payment accreditation and other contractual issues have delayed the incorporation of the “Viking” P-3s into the Naval Aviation Command. One of the latest developments in this regard was, after the signing for the Danish F-16s, the visit of a delegation from the Ministry of Defense to Oslo to further strengthen bilateral defense ties with Norway. It is presumable that the issue of the Orion aircraft was on the agenda of the officials from both ministries.

The other urgent requirement for the Argentine Navy is the incorporation of a new family of oceanic submarines, considering the maritime coastline of the country, to recover lost capabilities due to the sinking of the ARA San Juan and the inoperability of the ARA Salta and ARA Santa Cruz, whose recovery efforts show no progress.

Proposals from German shipyards (Type 209) and French shipyards (Scorpene Class) were on the table of the previous ministerial authorities, which, despite significant visits to the mentioned countries, did not materialize even in Letters of Intent. This approach has been adopted by Argentina on more than one occasion to demonstrate its interest without resulting in short-term contracts and purchase orders. Both proposals, according to reports from the Cabinet Chief to Congress, present options for local assembly and knowledge transfer, without providing further details.

The last point, within this brief list (there are likely more in the reader’s consideration), is the delayed acquisition of new helicopters for the Naval Aviation Command. To date, the most firm action is the Letter of Intent for AW109M to equip the new oceanic patrol vessels acquired by the Argentine Navy and thus replace the AS-555 Fennec helicopters in these SAR functions, which lack the equipment for this type of tasks, as well as the Sea King helicopters used as one of the main supports for the Summer Antarctic Campaign embarked from the icebreaker Almirante Irízar; as well as in personnel transport tasks.

*Photographs used for illustrative purposes.