History Argentine Air Force

1 history

1.1 interwar period
1.2 world war ii , immediate post-war
1.3 antarctic support
1.4 modernization , falklands war
1.5 support un peacekeeping missions
1.6 in 21st century

1.6.1 2010s

history

faa f-86 sabre

the air force s history begins establishment of army aviation service s escuela de aviación militar (military aviation school) on 10 august 1912. several military officers amongst pioneers of argentine aviation, including jorge newbery, retired argentine navy officer. school began turn out military pilots participated in milestone events in argentine aviation, such crossing of andes mountains.

interwar period

in 1927 dirección general de aeronáutica (general directorate of aeronautics) created coordinate country s military aviation. in same year fábrica militar de aviones (military aircraft factory, fma), become heart of country s aviation industry, founded in córdoba.

fma-built curtiss-hawk 75o

by 1938–39 argentina s air power had 3,200 staff (including 200 officers), , maintained 230 aircraft. 150 of these operated army , included dewoitine d.21 , curtiss p-36 hawk fighters; breguet 19 reconnaissance planes; northrop a-17 , martin b-10 bombers, north american na-16 trainers, focke-wulf fw 58 multi-role planes, , junkers ju 52 , fairchild 82 transports. 80 operated navy , included supermarine southampton, supermarine walrus, fairey seal, fairey iii, vought o2u corsair, consolidated p2y, curtiss t-32 condor ii, douglas dolphin , grumman j2f duck.

world war ii , immediate post-war

by 1940s there several air units in army , navy; first step towards independent force came on 11 february 1944 establishment of aeronautical command, go on become argentine air force on 4 january 1945, independent force on par army , navy.

faa gloster meteor f.4 jet fighter

immediately after end of world war ii, in argentine air force took no part, began process of modernization, incorporating aircraft such gloster meteor jet fighter, becoming first air force in latin america equipped jet-propelled aircraft. in addition, number of avro lincoln , avro lancaster bombers acquired, creating powerful strategic force in region. air force, former luftwaffe officers consultants , german technicians, began develop own aircraft, such pulqui , pulqui ii, making argentina first country in latin america , sixth in world develop jet fighter technology on own. locally developed aircraft, i.ae. 22 dl trainer , i.ae. 24 calquin tactical bomber, added inventory.

antarctic support

argentine air force dhc-2 beaver in antarctica

in 1952 air force began flight supply antarctic scientific bases using ski-equipped c-47s , establishing marambio base on 25 september 1969. on 11 april 1970 began landing c-130 hercules aircraft, when tc-61 commanded commodore arturo athos gandolfi first airplane land in marambio, , fokker f-28 fellowship presidential aircraft t-01 patagonia reported first jet have landed @ marambio, on 28 july 1973. , since 1970s twin otters deployed. on october 1973 faa launched operation transantar, achieving first trans-antarctic three-continental flight in history when c-130 flew between rio gallegos; marambio, argentine antarctica; christchurch, new zealand , canberra, australia.

modernization , falklands war

arrival of f-86 in september 1960, operation sabre

in 1960s new aircraft incorporated, including f-86f sabre jet fighter , douglas a-4 skyhawk used ground-attack. (u.s. air force major manuel pete fernandez, spanish-speaking sabre ace shot down 14 migs on korea in f-86f, dispatched mendoza airbase 1960-1962 train argentine pilots flying model.) during 1970s air force re-equipped modern aircraft, including mirage iii interceptors, iai dagger multi-role fighters (ex-israeli, copy of mirage v), , c-130 hercules cargo planes. counter-insurgency airplane, pucará, used in substantial numbers.

the falklands war (spanish: guerra de las malvinas/conflicto del atlántico sur), took great toll on air force, lost 60 aircraft. after war, due deteriorating economic situation, international opposition , political distrust of military, air force denied resources needed replace war losses. this, coupled diminishing budgets, led period of reduced activity , growing materiel obsolescence.

canberra preserved @ mar del plata airport

after war britain imposed arms embargo on argentina, discontinued in 1990s british pressure has prevented far acquisition of modern fighter planes , equipment western countries. after attempts acquire surplus iai kfirs or f-16as failed economic , political reasons, united states military sold argentina 36 a-4ar fightinghawks, refurbished , upgraded version of a-4 skyhawks used in war. other equipment bought: 23 army surplus ov-1 mohawks, 22 ex-israeli iai dagger, 2 c-130b , 1 lockheed l-100-30.

support un peacekeeping missions

the faa has been involved in united nations peacekeeping missions around world. sent boeing 707 1991 gulf war. since 1994 un air contingent (unflight) in cyprus under unficyp mandate provided faa, having achieved 10,000 flight hours 2003 without accidents. faa has since 2005 deployed bell 212 helicopters haiti under minustah mandate.

in 21st century

in 2005 top seventeen brigadiers of air force, including chief of staff, brigadier general carlos rohde, sacked president néstor kirchner following scandal involving drug trafficking through ezeiza international airport. kirchner cited failures in security systems of argentine airports (which overseen national aeronautic police, branch of air force) , cover-ups of scandal; later became known many government agencies, among them interior ministry, customs administration , secretariat of state intelligence knew drug trafficking.

the primary concerns of air force of 2010 establishment of radar network control of country s airspace, replacement of older combat aircraft (mirage iii, mirage v) , incorporation of new technologies. possibility of purchasing surplus french air force mirage 2000c fighters, option chosen brazilian air force, has been considered.

since 1990s faa has established relations neighbours, brazilian , chilean air forces. annually meet, on rotation basis, in joint exercises cruzex in brazil, ceibo in argentina , salitre in chile.

c-130s @ 2010 air fest show

in 2007 faa fma ia 58 pucará converted use modified engine operating on soy-derived bio-jet fuel. project, financed , directed argentine government (secretaría de ciencia tecnología e innovación productiva de la nación), made argentina second nation in world propel aircraft biojet fuel. purpose of project make faa less reliant on fossil fuels.

2010s

as of 2010 budgetary constraints continued, leading disbanding of boeing 707 transport squadron , maintenance problems half of c-130 hercules fleet. particularly evident when, in matter of days in march, same c-130 aircraft seen, in addition routine missions, travelling 3 times haiti, 9 times chile (in both cases delivering humanitarian aid) , doing resupply airdrop argentine southernmost antarctic base belgrano ii.

in august 2010 contract signed 2 mi-17e helicopters, plus option on further three, support antarctic bases although no official destination them have been released yet , possible assigned argentine army aviation.

the faa seeking replace ageing force more capable , more serviceable modern aircraft. acquisition of spanish mirage f1ms, iai kfir block 60s , saab gripen e/fs considered, of february 2015, of deals appear have stalled; mirage f1 deal scrapped spanish government in march 2014 after pressure of uk not assist in faa modernization on tensions between countries on falkland islands. uk has managed veto sale of gripen e/fs, 30% of gripen s parts manufactured there. deal israel has reportedly stalled technical , political reasons. china has reportedly offered jf-17/fc-1 or chengdu j-10 argentina. 2 countries have formed working group transfer of 14 aircraft. russia had offered lease 12 su-24 strike aircraft faa, jane s reported su-24 not useful faa , appear proposed transfer of such aircraft result of russia playing political games uk on continuing crisis in ukraine. . mirages officially decommissioned on 30 november 2015. a-4s grounded of january 2016 lack of spares; in case 4-5 airworthy rest in storage @ villa reynolds. when barack obama visited in march 2016, air force 1 accompanied air force f-16s because argentina offer pucarás , pampas air defense.

according sputnik news on january 27, 2017, argentina has sent commercial offer russia purchase or more 15 mig-29 multirole fighters. done begin efforts modernize airforce , restore true air defense capability. deputy director of russian federal service military-technical cooperation (fsmtc) anatoly punchuk, has stated russia preparing response faa.however, argentina has signed contract purchase 12 f/a-50s korea.