For years, the Argentine Armed Forces have been evaluating various alternatives to recover a segment of their aviation based on heavy rotary-wing transport. The loss in combat of the Army Aviation’s Chinooks during the Malvinas War, together with the subsequent retirement of the Air Force’s surviving units, was never fully replaced, even with the incorporation of the Mil Mi-171E helicopters, which remain stored at the Quilmes Material Area. For this reason, the respective commands have been assessing alternatives and proposals received over the past years, with the most noteworthy being based on CH-53G heavy transport helicopters, which will soon be retired from service by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe).
As reported by Zona Militar in early July, and within the framework of strengthening bilateral relations with the United States and European countries, the possibility of recovering this segment of rotary-wing military aviation resurfaced.
In detail, the recovery of these capabilities could materialize through the CH-53G helicopter fleet of the German Air Force, previously operated by the German Army, which is in the process of being retired from service and replaced by the new CH-47F Block II Chinooks acquired from the United States.
The proposal received by the Ministry of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, and the respective commands has gained traction to the point that, according to authorized sources, steps are being taken to evaluate the CH-53G helicopters, which currently operate within Helicopter Wing 64, based in Laupheim, Baden-Württemberg.
Thus, the mentioned sources indicated that updates are expected regarding this process, while the German government and authorities await the formal request from the Ministry of Defense to arrange, within a reasonable timeframe, the visit of a technical commission to the aforementioned German Air Force unit.
Nevertheless, as pointed out, various alternatives are still being assessed. Given the origin of the equipment under consideration, any purchase, transfer, or donation agreement would require authorization and approval from the United States government, as is the case with any military equipment of U.S. origin.
Furthermore, as previously mentioned, the dispatch of a technical commission to evaluate and submit the respective reports is by no means indicative that the operation will be finalized. It is worth mentioning other options that were previously assessed, such as the case of the CH-46 Sea Knight, a proposal presented by the United States and ultimately rejected outright by the Argentine Air Force, which has also leaned toward other more viable alternatives.
About the German Air Force’s CH-53G helicopters
By way of summary, these large and capable aircraft boast a long service history of over 50 years within the German Armed Forces. Originally, the German Army Aviation Corps (Heer) operated a fleet of up to 110 units of the “G” version, derived from the CH-53D, of which 108 were built locally by VFW-Fokker.
Over the following decades, the aircraft underwent multiple upgrades to meet new German requirements, until, during the 2010s, within the framework of the restructuring of the German Armed Forces, the CH-53G helicopters were transferred to the German Air Force, which still operates them within Helicopter Wing 64, based in Laupheim, Baden-Württemberg.
Among the most recent developments, their replacement has been confirmed through the purchase of 60 new CH-47F Block II helicopters from Boeing, with progress recorded in 2024 in the training of the first German pilots and crews in the United States. According to official announcements, the first units are expected to be delivered to the German Air Force in 2027.
Original text by: Juan José Roldán.
Conceptual images used for illustration – Zona Militar
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