Argentina

[ArmChairCivvy]

That would fit the big picture, but think of NZ:
- they did away with jets
- now they are wondering how to bring the skills back

Some of those alternatives listed would have a service life of abt 5 yrs! The same as the conversion to a new type, more or less. Except if it is of the Dassault heritage, as I mentioned.

[RichardIC]

http://www.janes.com/article/67438/arge ... -programme

Will they?... won't they?... willl they?... oh, they won't... not for now.... later they may

That's all

[Little J]

...Nothing to see here, move along... Move along.



Seriously, is anyone surprised by this?

[Defiance]

Not particularly, when every 'affordable' option on the planet has been studied and you can't pay out for any of them, seems understandable that they just thought "sod it".

Calculated risk is all.

[LordJim]

I suppose they could give any surviving Pucaras an in flight refueling capability.

[Defiance]

They've got a newer batch of Pampa's coming online, that looks like it's the most capable thing they've got to put in the air. Didn't during one of Obama's visit he has to be escorted by USAF F-16's as Argentinian aircraft weren't available/capable of doing the role in their airspace?

[Defiance]

Looks like they plan on trying to squeeze as much as possible out of their A-4's for as long as they can, long enough to kick the can down the road - 12-14 aircraft to be serviceable for at least 5 years.

http://www.janes.com/article/67565/arge ... eplacement

The Argentine government has begun contract discussions with an undisclosed company to get 12 to 14 of the air force's Lockheed Martin (McDonnell Douglas) A-4AR Fightinghawks back into operational service for at least five years, the Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) secretary of logistics Walter Ceballos announced on 7 February.

[chinook88]

They still believe in the possibility of the "Brazilian" Gripen, a pity that it is a large percentage made in the UK.

[Defiance]

You go over to Argentinian forums and they ferociously believe that they can just go 'screw you guys, it's Brazil's call, right Brazil?' and not bother.

[Pseudo]

It's amazing how people will hand wave away inconvenient facts if they really want to believe something.

I'd have thought that Argentina's best (but still slim) hope for a modern fighter would be the JF-17 in return for complete economic subservience to China.

[Defiance]

It's amazing how people will hand wave away inconvenient facts if they really want to believe something.

I'd have thought that Argentina's best (but still slim) hope for a modern fighter would be the JF-17 in return for complete economic subservience to China.

It's an interesting thing to do, it gets you into the minds of their equivalents of us.

Last I heard the issue with JF-17 was they wanted Western weapons/electronics and apparently China said you can have that if you want if you pay for it (whether Western suppliers would be quite so happy I don't know . . . )

It'll likely be some kind of forced 2nd hand purchase in absence of an affordable new example. M2000 maybe?

[ArmChairCivvy]

M2000 maybe?

The Spanish ones came to nought... may be somebody else's.

Having the Skyhawks back for another 5 yrs just stops them from having to... start from a standing start. Israeli Skyhawks (now that they are getting new advanced trainers) sold like hot cakes to US aggressor sqdrn provider.

[ArmChairCivvy]

This is bad, and sad (for every one, but esp. so for the Argentinians)

https://twitter.com/Stratfor

as they have a reform oriented gvmnt (finally), but the ship is taking in too much water and has become unstearable

[Smokey]

This is bad, and sad (for every one, but esp. so for the Argentinians)

https://twitter.com/Stratfor

as they have a reform oriented gvmnt (finally), but the ship is taking in too much water and has become unstearable

[chinook88]

Argentina Set to Drop $2 Billion for Largest Weapons Acquisition Since Malvinas War

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/A ... -0008.html

===========

Argentina has 'very small' budget to buy defense aircraft: minister

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-argbn ... PZ?rpc=401&

[Defiance]

Their DefMin in the Reuters article denies the $2Bn spending spree in the first article, claims he's only got the budget for 12 T-6 trainers for the time being.

They've got a lot of ducks to get in a row before they start any sort of real growth

[LordJim]

The only way Argentina's armed forces are going to get back on track is if another country either donates new equipment or pays for it.

[Defiance]

The only way Argentina's armed forces are going to get back on track is if another country either donates new equipment or pays for it.

More or less, they've got real economic pressures to consider before the armed forces.

[chinook88]

Argentine Ambassador to US Quits Amid $2B Arms Deal Scandal

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/A ... -0039.html

[chinook88]

Argentina purchased several refurbished Mirages and engines for Pucaras

Argentine reportedly has agreed to purchase several refurbishedDassault-Breguet Super Étendard fighter bombers originally from the French navy. Apparently the Mirages are similar to those Argentine used during the Falklands conflict in 1982 and will be incorporated to the Air Force, as part of an Argentine re-equipment of its military forces.

Talks with France also involve the possible purchase of engines to power 20 Argentine Pucaras aircraft that are currently grounded.

“The transaction provides excellent value, and under very favorable conditions,” Defense Minister Julio Martinez was quoted during a visit to France. “The Argentine Air Force cannot do without supersonic aircraft. Our pilots must be able to train in modern aircraft.”

However Martinez declined to detail the financial details of a possible deal since “negotiations are not finished”.

The re-equipment program will also include the construction at the Tandanor yards of four patrol vessels, with support from France, Italy and China. The vessels are in addition to four LICA, for cadets' training. currently under construction at the Rio Santiago yard, with Japanese (NKK) supervision and the first to be delivered in early 2018.

The Air Force is also involved in the refurbishing and upgrading of five Hercules C 130, two are ready and another three in the coming months with the support from US experts at the Cordoba aircraft manufacturing plant.

Minister Martinez also acknowledged that the United States has offered to sell Argentina F-16 fighter fighters but the Mirage would better fulfill the needs of the country.
“The operating cost of the F-16 makes them almost prohibitively expensive,” he said.

Argentina had previously been in talks with Israel for their Kfir fighter.

http://en.mercopress.com/2017/05/19/arg ... or-pucaras

[Defiance]

Crap article. Since when was an Etendard a Mirage?

File this under 'I'll believe it when I see it'. Argentina have been reportedly buying aircraft for years but have yet to see tyres on tarmac. In addition to this, why bother with the Etendard? They can't even secure their own airspace and they're going for strike fighters for the Navy?

[RetroSicotte]

Regarding Argentina's attempts to get a new aircraft, anyone remember that song? The Never Ending Stoooooory...! :p

[Frenchie]

I have an old article in French that talks about the sale of 12 Mirage F1 to Argentina, it is not with this that they will reconquer the Falklands.

[ArmChairCivvy]

At the time of the Falklands War, Argentina had M Begin's Israel as the closest friend ("help at hand", with missiles and such things, when the French contractors were withdrawn). According to this one
http://en.mercopress.com/2017/09/22/arg ... ogy-report
they seem to have swapped over to Iran, at some point.

[muttbutt]

According to reports coming out of Argentina, the sub San Juan is missing with her crew, She has not been in contact since Wednesday...