Será verdad?
Date Posted: 22-Nov-2006
Argentina poised for military build-up
Jose Higuera JDW Correspondent
Santiago
- Argentina wants to replace its Mirage interceptor fighters with French Mirage 2000s
- Argentina is also looking to acquire missiles, amphibious ships, helicopters, armoured trucks and transport aircraft
Argentina is poised to start a wide and far-reaching process of modernising its military equipment, fuelled by its fast recovering economy.
The country's Minister of Defence, Nilda Garre, visited Paris recently to discuss the purchase of fighters, amphibious ships and missiles, went to Moscow to shop for helicopters and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and finally visited Kiev to express interest in fixed-wing transport aircraft.
The emerging investments are driven mainly by an urgent need to replace several platforms and systems. Another factor, however, is a need to play catch-up, following a recent arms spree undertaken by Chile, which shares a long border and a tumultuous history with its neighbour.
One high priority is to replace a fleet of Mirage interceptor fighters that are approaching retirement in 2009. The air force has requested a first batch of 14 second-hand Dassault Mirage 2000C/Ds offered by France.
President Nestor Kirchner rejected the service's first request made in 2004, but now the government is open to studying the requirement, sources in Buenos Aires told Jane's.
Garre visited Paris during the last week of October to discuss possible conditions for the acquisition of the Mirage 2000s and to find a solution to the delayed transfer of two Orage-class amphibious assault ships that require expensive asbestos removal.
Argentina is also interested in acquiring air-to-air and anti-ship missiles from MBDA, including the Mica and Exocet MM40 Block II, as well as Mica vertical launch short-range air-defence missiles to modernise the navy's surface fleet.
The procurement of underwater-launched AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles with added land-attack capabilities is also being considered as part of a study on the upgrade of Argentina's TR-1700 German-built submarines.
During the meetings Garre made it clear that any purchase is expected to generate subcontracts for Argentine companies - including CITEFA, the armed forces industrial concern.
Garre also led a delegation to Russia to discuss buying Mil Mi-17V medium transport helicopters and APCs such as the TR-80.
Sources in Buenos Aires said Russia is also seeking to sell a small number of Mil Mi-26 heavy transport helicopters to Argentina for Antarctic operations, as well as different packages of air and coastal surveillance radars.
Argentina plans to pay for any Russian equipment with beef and other food products.
Finally, Garre visited Ukraine, where she expressed an interest in Antonov aircraft to re-equip the air force transport fleet, which has 90 per cent of its current aircraft grounded.