Argentine Air Force: Need for radical renewal. Argentine Air Force Argentine Air Force

During the celebration of the 103rd anniversary of the creation of the Argentine Air Force, held on August 13, 2015 at the Argentine airbase Tandil (province of Buenos Aires), where the 6th aviation brigade of the Air Force is stationed, a greeting was read from the chief of staff of the Argentine Air Force, Brigadier General Mario Miguel Callejo , in which the “celebrator” was presented with a very unique “gift” in the form of an announcement about the upcoming withdrawal from service of all Dassault Mirage fighters - the last operational fighters in the Argentine Air Force. The Mirage family of aircraft, which are in service with the 6th Air Brigade, will be withdrawn from service by the end of November 2015. A day later, on August 14, the general himself Mario Miguel Callejo confirmed this decision in a personal address during a ceremony all on the occasion of the same 103rd anniversary of the Air Force, held at another Argentine airbase - the capital Moron.

To date, the only 6th Fighter Group (Grupo 6 de Caza) included in the 6th Aviation Brigade (VIª Brigada Aérea) in Tandil has a nominally total of 30 fighters of the Mirage family - ten Dassault Mirage IIIEA and two "Sparky" Mirages IIIDA, seven Dassault Mirage 5P and 11 Finger IIIB (an upgraded version of the former Israeli IAI Nesher fighters). However, in fact, in the 6th group, in total, no more than seven or eight fighters of all types remain in flying condition, acutely suffering from physical wear and tear and a lack of spare parts (six fighters of all types took part in the flight at the celebration ceremony on August 13).

Three Dassault Mirage type fighters (presumably Finger IIIB) of the Argentine Air Force in the air during the ceremony celebrating the 103rd anniversary of the creation of the Air Force. Tandil, 08/13/2015 (c) El Eco de Tandil

The announced final decommissioning of all Mirage family aircraft will leave the Argentine Air Force without fighters - after that, Argentina will have 32 modernized old American A-4AR Fightinghawk attack aircraft (as part of the 5th Aviation Brigade at the Villa Reynols airbase, San Luis) from jet combat aircraft. also have very low level combat readiness, as well as 19 IA-63 Pampa combat trainer aircraft (most of which are operated by the 4th Aviation Brigade at El Plumerillo Air Base, Mendoza). It is reported that from the end of the year, the IA-63 Pampa combat training aircraft will be entrusted with air defense tasks for the territory of Argentina.

Over the past decade, the Argentine Air Force has constantly sought opportunities to acquire foreign combat aircraft of any kind to replace the dwindling fleet of its Mirage fighters, but due to a lack of funds, none of the options considered and negotiated (the acquisition of Dassault fighters decommissioned from the French or Spanish Air Forces) Mirage F.1 or the modernized IAI Kfir fighters, previously in service with the Israeli Air Force) were never realized. The projects pushed by the Argentine government to purchase new Chinese JF-17 or J-10 fighters look even more utopian - for which there is also no money. Recently there were reports about the resumption of negotiations with Israel regarding the acquisition of the Kfir squadron (with modernization according to the new version of the Kfir C60), however, apparently, the Argentine Air Force will be left without fighters for many years.

The Argentine Air Force as a whole is experiencing an acute financial crisis due to chronic underfunding. It is reported that by August, the Argentine Air Force's debts to suppliers reached $54 million, of which $21.6 million was for the supply of aviation fuel to the state oil and gas company YPF. On August 11, the Argentine Air Force signed orders to introduce austerity measures, including restrictions on fuel, electricity and food consumption, sending some personnel on leave without pay, and reducing the working week of the remaining personnel from 40 to 15 hours. All Air Force aircraft that are in non-flyable condition will be completely grounded for maintenance.

The Argentine Air Force has operated the Dassault Mirage family of aircraft since 1972, and to date the fleet has flown more than 131,000 hours in Argentina, including active participation in the 1982 Falklands War.

In 1972-1980, the Argentine Air Force acquired 17 Dassault Mirage IIIEA fighters and four combat trainer fighters Mirage IIIDA new build. Of these, two Mirage IIIEA were lost in the 1982 war, and another five Mirage IIIEA and two fighters Mirage IIIDA lost in flight accidents. Now part of the 2nd Interceptor Squadron ( Escuadron II de Intercepción) 6th Fighter Group The 6th Aviation Brigade remains nominallyThere are ten Dassault Mirage IIIEA (mostly of the first batch) and two Mirage IIIDA twins.

In 1983, Argentina acquired 19 Mirage IIICJ fighters and three Mirage IIIBJ fighters from the Israeli Air Force, but the former Israeli aircraft were significantly worn out and served in the Argentine Air Force only until 1990 (during this time two were destroyed in service Mirage IIICJ and one Mirage IIIBJ).

In 1982, during the Falklands conflict, Peru, in an act of “solidarity,” donated ten Dassault Mirage 5P fighter-bombers from its Air Force to Argentina. To date, three of these aircraft have been lost in flight accidents, and the remaining seven nominally continue to be part of the 1st Squadron fighter-bombers ( Escuadron I de Cazabombardeo) 6th Fighter Group 6th Aviation Brigade, of which only one aircraft was reportedly in flight condition at the beginning of 2015.

In 1978, Argentina acquired 35 single-seat and four double-seat Nesher fighters from the Israeli Air Force. For a long time, Nesher fighters were considered “pirate” copies of Mirage 5 fighters, allegedly built in Israel by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) in 1971-1974. According to modern data, in fact, no production of these aircraft was carried out at IAI, and all Nesher aircraft (51 single-seat and ten double-seat) were Mirage 5 aircraft, secretly delivered to Israel in disassembled form by France, contrary to the embargo announced by the French government itself in January 1969 supply of weapons to Israel.

In 1978, Israel sold almost all of the Nesher aircraft remaining in its Air Force to Argentina (with the exception of five Nesher T twins, later sold to South Africa), and in the Argentine Air Force they were called Dagger A (single-seat) and Dagger B (" sparky"). Of the fighters delivered to Argentina, 12 Dagger A were lost in the Falklands War, and one more Dagger A and Dagger B - in flight accidents. From 1983 to 1990, 23 Argentine aircraft under contract with IAI Dagger A were upgraded to the Finger IIIA/IIIB variant, similar in equipment to the Israeli Kfir C2 fighters. Of these modernized aircraft, ten were written off after flight accidents. By now as part of the 1st squadron fighter-bombers 6th Fighter Group The 6th Aviation Brigade continues to be listed only 11 Finger IIIB, of which no more than four were in flying condition by the beginning of 2015.

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Argentine Air Force

"Aviación Naval Argentina" corsair day-night version, squadron "Aeronaval de Combate" of the naval base "Punta Indio"
Author Gordini | download .

The history of the Argentine Air Force began on August 10, 1912. On that day, a military flight school (Escuela Militar de Aviación) was founded in the city of El Palomar. But even before this, aviation began to gain widespread popularity - four years earlier, the first Argentine flying club was created, which aroused keen interest among the population. The founding of the school and the construction of the first Argentine airfield at Villa Lugano made it possible to speed up the training of future pilots. Many of these pilots later became aviation pioneers. One of them was Pablo Teodoro Fels, who broke the overwater flight distance record by flying from Buenos Aires to Montevideo in 2 hours and 20 minutes. The record was a success due to the fact that the entire route passed over the La Plata River. In 1916, the Fuerte Barragan flight school opened at the naval air base near La Plata. Thus, the Naval Aviation Corps (Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina) was created. During the interwar period, both branches military aviation continuously modernized and strengthened through the acquisition of North American T6 Texan training aircraft, Supermarine Walrus fighters and amphibious aircraft. In 1927, local aircraft production was also created: a military aircraft factory (Fábrica Militar de Aviones) was built in Cordoba.

FMA CURTISS HAWK 75O

During World War II, Argentina managed to maintain neutrality. After its completion, many German engineers and scientists emigrated to Argentina. One of them was Kurt Tank, creator of the Focke-Wulf. His knowledge and experience were in demand by the Argentine government, which sought to modernize its air force. Based on developments on the Ta 183 prototype, Tank managed to create the I.Ae 33 Pulki II aircraft. Despite the fact that this aircraft remained a prototype, experience with it showed that Argentina is capable of creating its own modern aircraft. At the same time, imported weapons were purchased. New aircraft included jet fighters and heavy bombers

At the most tense moment Cold War The political situation in Argentina has undergone dramatic changes. In 1955, a military coup overthrew the government of Juan Domingo Perón and he was forced to flee the country. The Argentine Air Force and naval aviation fighters were used to strike rebels loyal to Peron. After another coup, in 1970, the so-called “Dirty War” began, a conflict in which the military junta sought to destroy any opposition to the regime. Main blow appealed to leftists and communists. Many of these operations were supported by the CIA. Under the military dictatorship, naval aviation and the Air Force received new aircraft: the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, Dassault Super-Etendard and Dassault Mirage III. Besides these jet fighters Locally produced FMA IA-58 Pukara turboprop attack aircraft were adopted and used to attack the rebels.

Gloster Meteor F.4 C-041 of the Argentine Air Force, preserved at the Buenos Aires Air Force Museum in 1975

In April 1982, Argentina attempted to regain control of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). The British reaction was immediate - the Royal Air Force was assigned the corresponding task. Countries were drawn into war. Both the Argentine Air Force and Naval Aviation took part in the conflict. The Argentines fought hard and were able to sink several British ships - both with conventional bombs and with Exocet anti-ship missiles - including two destroyers (Sheffield and Coventry) and two frigates (Ardent and Glamorgan). . However, the price was very high: the British shot down 60 planes and 25 helicopters. The Sea Harriers of British naval aviation were invincible in air battles. Heavy Argentine losses allowed Britain to move ground troops to the islands and regain control of them in June 1982. Defeat in the Falkland Islands War hastened the fall of the military dictatorship. However, the skill and courage of Argentine pilots is still highly regarded by their British rivals.

Konstantin Fedorov

Argentine Air Force crisis: how it all began

After leftist President Néstor Kirchner came to power in May 2003, Western countries increased pressure on Argentina; the rapprochement of the new government of the Front for Victory with Venezuela and Brazil did not go unnoticed in the USA and Great Britain. The rapid aging of the aircraft fleet has acutely raised the question of its urgent modernization, but the consequences of the 1982 war and the financial and economic collapse of 2001 are still affecting us - there is simply no money to purchase the latest aircraft.

If we take a retrospective look at the causes of the conflict situation in the South Atlantic, it becomes clear that back in 1522, the Malvinas Islands were discovered by Esteban Gomez, a member of Ferdinand Magellan’s Spanish expedition around the world. This name was given to the islands in the 18th century by colonists from the French port of Saint-Malo.

In 1816, the Malvinas Islands became part of independent Argentina. However, already in 1833, English settlers declared that the archipelago supposedly belonged to the British crown. Despite protests from the Argentine public, Great Britain declared Malvinas a colony in 1892.

Back in April-June 1982, Argentina tried to reclaim the islands by declaring war on Great Britain, but the South American country's air force suffered heavy losses. But trouble did not come alone - under the pressure of sanctions from official London, the restoration of the aircraft fleet proceeded extremely slowly, and after the events of December 2001, the situation of the Argentine Air Force became critical.

In order to ensure the country's security, the government of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner should intensify military-technical cooperation with Russia and China, Brazil and Venezuela; begin modernizing air bases throughout Patagonia, as well as near Buenos Aires, to repel attacks by aircraft carrier formations of the North Atlantic Alliance countries; however, these problems remain unsolved.

The Argentine Air Force, according to approximate data, has 13 Mirage III fighters, seven Mirage 5P, 13 Israeli-made Dagger fighters (a copy of the French Mirage 5), 24 self-developed FMA IA-58A Pucara attack aircraft, six American-made A-4AP attack aircraft, from five to six C-130H Hercules transport aircraft, one KC-130H tanker, six Dutch-made Fokker F28s. The fleet of lightly armed combat training vehicles, most of them obsolete, is most fully represented. These are 31 American-made T-34A trainers, 22 Brazilian-made EMB-312 Tucanos, 11 FMA IA-63 Pampa self-developed combat trainers, and seven Su-29 trainers. Helicopter units are represented by 11 Hughes 500 rotorcraft (MD 500), eight UH-1H Iroquois, five Textron 212, two Aerospatiale SA.315B, two Mi-171, one Sikorsky S-70A Black Hawk and S -76B Mk II. Argentine naval aviation is armed with nine Brazilian-made EMB-326 Chavante combat training aircraft, from five to eight Super Etandar carrier-based attack aircraft, six P-3B Orion patrol aircraft, five S-2T anti-submarine aircraft, as well as about 14 helicopters.

Analyzing the state of Argentina's combat aviation, it should be noted that today the country is much weaker than it was in 1982: as early as March 10, 2013, a report on the combat readiness of its aircraft fleet was distributed in Argentina. According to the information presented in the document, only 16% of the Argentine Air Force can be considered combat ready. For comparison, this figure is 50% for the Brazilian and Chilean air forces (Argentina itself reached it in 2001-2003), and 75% for the US and French air forces. In 2007-2010, the combat readiness level of the Argentine Air Force dropped to 30%. It was noted that the existing performance indicators of combat aircraft continue to fall.

It is clear that in the event of a new conflict, British air units will seize air supremacy in a matter of days. And at present, the country of Foggy Albion is essentially preparing for war according to the principle: “Weakness is a reason for violence.”

Argentina looking for partners

Pressure from the West is forcing the Argentine authorities to save money on basic maintenance of at least part of the aircraft fleet in flying condition, while official Buenos Aires often fulfills the demands of possible aircraft suppliers on conditions that are obviously unfavorable for itself. Thus, according to media reports, the Argentine Ministry of Defense plans to spend up to 280 million dollars on the purchase of used Israeli Kfir C.10 fighters.

It is planned to purchase 14 fighters for this amount. The contract will probably be concluded with the Israeli state company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Argentine Defense Minister Agustin Rossi said that a decision on the purchase of aircraft will be made in the near future.

It is noted that before making a decision, representatives of the Argentine military department will make a request for the cost of used aircraft from several other suppliers. The purchase of combat vehicles is planned to be carried out before December 2015. By this time, the Argentine Ministry of Defense plans to completely decommission the Mirage III fighters that are currently in service with the country.

The terms of the deal with Israel stipulate that the Kfir C.10 aircraft will be upgraded before delivery to the customer. It is not reported what exactly the modernization of the fighters will consist of.

The Kfir C.10 (Kfir 2000) is a multi-role fighter that is a modernized version of the Kfir C.7 aircraft, developed by IAI for export. It featured a cockpit with improved panoramic visibility, in-flight refueling equipment, and new avionics in an extended nose cone. The cockpit is equipped with an indicator on the windshield, two multifunctional color displays, and it is possible to use a pilot’s helmet with in-helmet displays. The Kfir C.10 can carry the RAFAEL Derby anti-radar missile and the latest versions of the RAFAEL Python air-to-air missiles with a thermal homing head (while the Israeli vehicle is inferior in combat capabilities even to the Soviet MiG-23).

Previously, the Argentine Air Force planned to purchase used Spanish Mirage F1M fighters. But at the beginning of 2014, the country’s military department abandoned these plans.

Moreover, in October this year The Argentine government has decided to begin consultations with the Swedish company Saab with the aim of purchasing 24 JAS-39 Gripen-NG fighters. The terms for the purchase of new fighters, as well as the share of participation of Argentine enterprises in the production of these aircraft, will be the subject of negotiations in the coming months between representatives of the two countries.

However, with all this, it is not clear why the Argentine authorities do not think about the fact that it is the Su-30MK, Su-25SM, Il-78 and others Russian planes will significantly strengthen Argentina’s air fleet, and in the context of the actions of “financial vultures”, signing contracts with the West and Israel is like signing one’s death warrant.

Aviation and geopolitics: tensions are rising

As already mentioned, the independent foreign policy pursued by the government of Cristina Fernandez angers the West. Despite Argentina's peace initiatives, Britain continues to build up its military presence in the Malvinas Islands.

Back in February 2010, the first English drilling platform appeared on the Malvinas shelf - huge reserves of oil and gas were discovered, which in volume may well compete with oil storehouses North Sea. British experts estimate them at 60 billion barrels, clearly underestimating the figure so as “not to tease the Argentines.” It is clear that the British do not want to leave in an amicable way. In response, official Buenos Aires said that British policy threatened the security of Argentina and banned “suspicious vessels” carrying pipes and equipment used in oil exploration from going to sea.

However, it would be a mistake to think that the escalation of the situation is only due to oil alone. Even if there were no oil in the Malvinas, the archipelago is still strategically important.

First. The islands occupy a strategically important position on the approaches to the Strait of Magellan and the Drake Passage, that is, they give control over the sea routes connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Second. The islands are of great military importance as a NATO base nearby South America and a supply base for its vessels in the region.

Third. The right to own the Malvinas is associated with claims to various sectors of Antarctica. These claims were frozen by the 1959 agreement, but no one abandoned them.

It is also necessary to keep in mind that Argentina has a significant length of maritime borders. It is clear that a fleet deprived of air support will be destroyed; it can only receive cover from attack and naval aviation. However, if Russian aircraft are acquired, the Argentine Air Force will have the opportunity to operate at longer interception ranges, thereby destroying carrier strike groups and airborne units NATO countries near the Malvinas archipelago.

Another significant point: Great Britain is one of Russia’s most sworn enemies, while our country has an excellent chance to change the balance of power in its favor. In addition, it must be remembered that Argentina, albeit tacitly, supported our country in the Crimean issue. In March of this year, Christina de Kirchner sharply criticized the United States and Great Britain for their policy of “double standards” in relation to Crimea and the Malvinas Islands: “If Crimea holds the referendum, then it’s wrong, but if the Falklanders do it, then everything is fine. This position does not stand up to criticism.", - said the President of Argentina.

So Argentina must resist Western pressure; Without a deep modernization of its own combat aviation, the country is doomed to defeat - this is clear to everyone. In turn, Russia needs to carry out an offensive foreign policy to occupy the promising arms market. And in this case the principle should apply: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

In light of recent events taking place in Ukraine and the Middle East, Great Britain is quietly escalating the situation in the South Atlantic, seeking to maintain the Malvinas Islands under its colonial rule. At the same time, Argentina needs to return this archipelago. But the main role in a possible conflict, as in 1982, will be played by aviation.

Argentine Air Force crisis: how it all began

After leftist President Néstor Kirchner came to power in May 2003, Western countries increased pressure on Argentina; the rapprochement of the new government of the Front for Victory with Venezuela and Brazil did not go unnoticed in the USA and Great Britain. The rapid aging of the aircraft fleet has acutely raised the question of its urgent modernization, but the consequences of the 1982 war and the financial and economic collapse of 2001 are still affecting us - there is simply no money to purchase the latest aircraft.

If we take a retrospective look at the causes of the conflict situation in the South Atlantic, it becomes clear that back in 1522, the Malvinas Islands were discovered by Esteban Gomez, a member of Ferdinand Magellan’s Spanish expedition around the world. This name was given to the islands in the 18th century by colonists from the French port of Saint-Malo.

In 1816, the Malvinas Islands became part of independent Argentina. However, already in 1833, English settlers declared that the archipelago supposedly belonged to the British crown. Despite protests from the Argentine public, Great Britain declared Malvinas a colony in 1892.

Back in April-June 1982, Argentina tried to reclaim the islands by declaring war on Great Britain, but the South American country's air force suffered heavy losses. But trouble did not come alone - under the pressure of sanctions from official London, the restoration of the aircraft fleet proceeded extremely slowly, and after the events of December 2001, the situation of the Argentine Air Force became critical.

In order to ensure the country's security, the government of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner should intensify military-technical cooperation with Russia and China, Brazil and Venezuela; begin modernizing air bases throughout Patagonia, as well as near Buenos Aires, to repel attacks by aircraft carrier formations of the North Atlantic Alliance countries; however, these problems remain unsolved.

The Argentine Air Force, according to approximate data, has 13 Mirage III fighters, seven Mirage 5P, 13 Israeli-made Dagger fighters (a copy of the French Mirage 5), 24 self-developed FMA IA-58A Pucara attack aircraft, six American-made A-4AP attack aircraft, from five to six C-130H Hercules transport aircraft, one KC-130H tanker, six Dutch-made Fokker F28s. The fleet of lightly armed combat training vehicles, most of them obsolete, is most fully represented. These are 31 American-made T-34A trainers, 22 Brazilian-made EMB-312 Tucanos, 11 FMA IA-63 Pampa self-developed combat trainers, and seven Su-29 trainers. Helicopter units are represented by 11 Hughes 500 rotorcraft (MD 500), eight UH-1H Iroquois, five Textron 212, two Aerospatiale SA.315B, two Mi-171, one Sikorsky S-70A Black Hawk and S -76B Mk II. Argentine naval aviation is armed with nine Brazilian-made EMB-326 Chavante combat training aircraft, from five to eight Super Etandar carrier-based attack aircraft, six P-3B Orion patrol aircraft, five S-2T anti-submarine aircraft, as well as about 14 helicopters.

Analyzing the state of Argentina's combat aviation, it should be noted that today the country is much weaker than it was in 1982: as early as March 10, 2013, a report on the combat readiness of its aircraft fleet was distributed in Argentina. According to the information presented in the document, only 16% of the Argentine Air Force can be considered combat ready. For comparison, this figure is 50% for the Brazilian and Chilean air forces (Argentina itself reached it in 2001-2003), and 75% for the US and French air forces. In 2007-2010, the combat readiness level of the Argentine Air Force dropped to 30%. It was noted that the existing performance indicators of combat aircraft continue to fall.

It is clear that in the event of a new conflict, British air units will seize air supremacy in a matter of days. And at present, the country of “Foggy Albion” is essentially preparing for war according to the principle: “Weakness is a reason for violence.”

Argentina looking for partners

Pressure from the West is forcing the Argentine authorities to save money on basic maintenance of at least part of the aircraft fleet in flying condition, while official Buenos Aires often fulfills the demands of possible aircraft suppliers on conditions that are obviously unfavorable for itself. Thus, according to media reports, the Argentine Ministry of Defense plans to spend up to 280 million dollars on the purchase of used Israeli Kfir C.10 fighters.

It is planned to purchase 14 fighters for this amount. The contract will probably be concluded with the Israeli state company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Argentine Defense Minister Agustin Rossi said that a decision on the purchase of aircraft will be made in the near future.

It is noted that before making a decision, representatives of the Argentine military department will make a request for the cost of used aircraft from several other suppliers. The purchase of combat vehicles is planned to be carried out before December 2015. By this time, the Argentine Ministry of Defense plans to completely decommission the Mirage III fighters that are currently in service with the country.

The terms of the deal with Israel stipulate that the Kfir C.10 aircraft will be upgraded before delivery to the customer. It is not reported what exactly the modernization of the fighters will consist of.

The Kfir C.10 (Kfir 2000) is a multi-role fighter that is a modernized version of the Kfir C.7 aircraft, developed by IAI for export. It featured a cockpit with improved panoramic visibility, in-flight refueling equipment, and new avionics in an extended nose cone. The cockpit is equipped with an indicator on the windshield, two multifunctional color displays, and it is possible to use a pilot’s helmet with in-helmet displays. The Kfir C.10 can carry the RAFAEL Derby anti-radar missile and the latest versions of the RAFAEL Python air-to-air missiles with a thermal homing head (while the Israeli vehicle is inferior in combat capabilities even to the Soviet MiG-23).

Previously, the Argentine Air Force planned to purchase used Spanish Mirage F1M fighters. But at the beginning of 2014, the country’s military department abandoned these plans.

In addition, in October of this year, the Argentine government decided to begin consultations with the Swedish company Saab with the aim of purchasing 24 JAS-39 Gripen-NG fighters. The terms for the purchase of new fighters, as well as the share of participation of Argentine enterprises in the production of these aircraft, will be the subject of negotiations in the coming months between representatives of the two countries.

However, with all this, it is not clear why the Argentine authorities do not think about the fact that it is the Su-30MK, Su-25SM, Il-78 and other Russian aircraft that will significantly strengthen Argentina’s air fleet, and in the context of the actions of “financial vultures”, signing contracts with the West and Israel is the same as signing one’s death warrant.

Aviation and geopolitics: tensions are rising

As already mentioned, the independent foreign policy pursued by the government of Cristina Fernandez angers the West. Despite Argentina's peace initiatives, Britain continues to build up its military presence in the Malvinas Islands.

Back in February 2010, the first English drilling platform appeared on the Malvinas shelf - huge reserves of oil and gas were discovered, which in volume could well compete with the oil reserves of the North Sea. British experts estimate them at 60 billion barrels, clearly underestimating the figure so as “not to tease the Argentines.” It is clear that the British do not want to leave in an amicable way. In response, official Buenos Aires said that British policy threatened the security of Argentina and banned “suspicious vessels” carrying pipes and equipment used in oil exploration from going to sea.

However, it would be a mistake to think that the escalation of the situation is only due to oil alone. Even if there were no oil in the Malvinas, the archipelago is still strategically important.

First. The islands occupy a strategically important position on the approaches to the Strait of Magellan and the Drake Passage, that is, they give control over the sea routes connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Second. The islands are of enormous military importance as a NATO base near South America and a supply base for its ships in this region.

Third. The right to own the Malvinas is associated with claims to various sectors of Antarctica. These claims were frozen by the 1959 agreement, but no one abandoned them.

It is also necessary to keep in mind that Argentina has a significant length of maritime borders. It is clear that a fleet deprived of air support will be destroyed; it can only receive cover from attack and naval aviation. However, if Russian aircraft are acquired, the Argentine Air Force will have the opportunity to operate at longer interception ranges, thereby destroying aircraft carrier strike groups and landing units of NATO countries near the Malvinas archipelago.

Another significant point: Great Britain is one of Russia's most sworn enemies, while our country has an excellent chance to change the balance of power in its favor. In addition, it must be remembered that Argentina, albeit tacitly, supported our country in the Crimean issue. In March of this year, Christina de Kirchner sharply criticized the United States and Great Britain for the policy of “double standards” in relation to Crimea and the Malvinas Islands: “If Crimea holds a referendum, then this is wrong, but if the Falklanders do it, then everything is fine. This position does not stand up to criticism,” said the Argentine President.

So Argentina must resist Western pressure; Without a deep modernization of its own combat aviation, the country is doomed to defeat - this is clear to everyone. In its turn, Russia needs to pursue an offensive foreign policy to occupy the promising arms market. And in this case the principle should apply: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Argentina (Spanish for “silver”) is a large country located in the southern part of South America. The republic occupies an area of ​​almost 2,767,000 square meters. km, has land borders with 5 countries of the continent. In the north the country borders with Bolivia and Paraguay, and a little to the east with Brazil. Uruguay is Argentina's neighbor to the east. Chile stretches along the entire western border as a narrow strip of land.

Brief information about the country

The eastern coast of Argentina is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The state is territorially divided into 23 provinces and 1 federal capital district. The country is home to more than 44 million people who speak mainly the main language. state language- Spanish. The capital of the country is a large political and economic conglomerate of Buenos Aires, which is inhabited (with its suburbs) by more than 15 million people. The Argentine Republic became sovereign after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1816. The state acquired the name “Argentina” in 1826.

A brief history of the emergence of the Argentine army and the activities of its leadership in the late 19th - early 21st centuries.

Professional Argentina took shape over the last few decades of the 19th century. The Argentine army was under the constant strict control of the country's civilian authorities until 1930, when the country's president, Hipólito Yrigoyen, was overthrown by 1,500 soldiers. After this, the military received significantly more powers and repeatedly carried out violent changes of power in the country.

After coup d'etat and the overthrow of Isabel Perón as president of the country, from 1976 to 1983, a military junta led by General J. R. Videla and Admiral E. E. Massera was in power in Argentina. During this period, an era of national reorganization was declared in the country, as a result of which more than 30 thousand people were illegally arrested. More than 10 thousand people recognized as enemies of the political regime were killed. Military spending, which increased to 25% of the country's annual budget, led to hyperinflation (more than 300% per year). The military government imposed austerity by prohibiting increases in wages and other social payments.

Early 1980s with the collapse of the country's three largest banks came new round crisis. In order to distract the population from internal economic problems General Leopoldo Galtieri, who led Argentina in 1982, launched a military landing of his soldiers on the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands located east of the mainland, protectorate over which the British had held for 150 years. The operation is lightning fast and ends on April 2 with the surrender of Argentine troops to the British and the death of more than 1,000 Argentine soldiers and the destruction of 60 combat aircraft.

Soon another general, Reynaldo Bignone, became the head of state and the national army, but he continued the policy of repression.

Only in December 1983 did a representative come to power civil society Raoul Alfonsin. He puts the Argentine army under the control of civil power, organizes prosecution leaders of the military junta, carries out a number of economic reforms. But these reforms also lead to a significant decrease in the level of industrial production and great unrest among the military.

Carlos Menem, who came later, carried out a number of new economic reforms, achieved a reduction in inflation from 5000% to 4% per year, and a growth of the national economy of 30%. His further policies led the country to a technical default on the payment of external debt in 2001. By this time, the influence of the military on the civilian leadership of the country had significantly decreased.

Argentina composition today

The President of Argentina is in charge of all branches of the country's military and appoints the commanders of all headquarters, groups and branches of the military. The Argentine Armed Forces report directly to the country's Minister of Defense, who heads the Argentine National Ministry of Defense.

Endowed with the right, with the approval of the national congress, to go to war with other states, to declare a state of emergency, general mobilization.

He also heads the National Defense Committee. Currently, the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic include the following types of troops:

• land;
• air force;
• naval;
• national gendarmerie;
• maritime prefecture (coastal and coastal troops).

Ground armed formations are divided into three groups of troops: northwestern, northeastern and southern. This type of unit includes aviation forces. The formation is led by Cesar Milani. Part ground forces includes 3 army corps headquarters, as well as:

• 2 brigades of armored tanks;
• 4 mechanized brigades;
• 2 infantry brigades (for operations in the mountains);
• 1 battery of special infantry (for operations in the jungle);
• airborne and training brigade;
• a regiment of cavalry and motorized exhibition troops (escort of the head of state);
• motorized infantry battalion;
• group of artillerymen;
• 2 groups of artillery-anti-aircraft gunners;
• group of aviation troops;
• engineer battalion.

In addition to the listed formations, this type of force includes tank, airborne and mechanized reserve brigades.

The armament of the ground forces is: 53 helicopters, 44 aircraft, 128 small light tanks, 230 main combat multi-purpose tanks, 123 combat reconnaissance vehicles, 123 infantry fighting vehicles, 518 armored personnel carriers, 220 guns, 1,760 mortars, 6 jet systems volley fire, 600 anti-tank guided missile launch systems, 80 portable anti-aircraft missile systems, 97 anti-aircraft guns. The number of troops is 55,000 people.

Leads general staff Argentine Army Air Force Brigadier Major Enrique Amrhein. The history of the Air Force as a branch of the military begins on August 10, 1912, when a military aviation school was created in Argentina. Fifteen years later, an Aeronautics Administration appeared in the country, and a plant for the production of military aircraft was opened in Cordoba. In February 1944, a state aviation command was created, and in January 1945, the Air Force became a separate independent branch of the military. After the end of World War II, the Argentine army was in service for the first time in Latin America appeared jet planes(Gloster Meteor, Avro Lancaster and Avro Lincoln).

In 1952, Argentine aviation established regular flights to the Antarctic zone, where a polar scientific base was opened. In 1970-1990 There was a period of modernization of the aviation group, replacing outdated American military aircraft with more modern ones. However, at present, the armament of the Argentine army is mainly outdated models of flight, ground and water military equipment.

Since the beginning of the 2000s. the Argentine Air Force group takes part in missions peacekeeping forces UN in the Persian Gulf, Cyprus and Haiti.

As of mid-2017, the country's air force group includes:

• 4 reconnaissance aircraft;
• 25 fighter-bombers;
• about 60 transport aircraft of various capacities and purposes (37 units of transport, 19 units of general purpose, 1 presidential side, 2 tankers);
• 81 educational and training aircraft (including 7 Russian SU-29);
• 45 reconnaissance and multi-purpose helicopters (including 5 Russian Mi-171 transport helicopters);
• Air defense systems.

The leadership of the Argentine Navy is represented by 4 commands: submarine and surface forces, Marine Corps and naval aviation. The general staff of the forces is headed by Admiral Marcelo Sur.

The surface fleet transports include:

• 4 destroyers;
• 9 corvettes;
• 9 patrol ships;
• 4 towing rescue vessels;
• 1 universal transport;
• 1 supply vessel;
• 1 icebreaker;
• 1 tanker;
• 3 general purpose vehicles;
• 3 auxiliary vehicles;
• 2 hydrographic vessels;
• 1 ship for oceanographic research needs;
• 1 training ship.

Argentine Submarine Force Group represented by 3 submarines various classes (communication with one of them was lost during an underwater operation in September 2017).

The base points are:

• Bahia Blanca (the largest naval base in the country, Puerto Belgrano, where shipyards and an arsenal are located);
• Mar del Plata (home base of 6 platoons of tactical divers special purpose(approx. 100 people);
• dep. Ushuaia (Terra del Fuego Island);
• city ​​of Zarate.

The Argentine Marine Corps consists of:

• command;
• five battalions of Marines;
• naval forces;
• management and support units;
• artillery, anti-aircraft, security battalions;
• communications battalion and amphibious vehicles;
• groups of paratroopers and saboteurs;
• marine engineering units;
• quartermaster groups;
• educational institution for marines.

Geographically, the structure of the Marine Corps is divided into: riverine, southern and Atlantic sea zones. The Marine Corps is armed with: armored personnel carriers, combat reconnaissance vehicles, wheeled all-terrain vehicles and towing-type howitzers (barrel diameter: 105 mm and 155 mm).

The naval flight forces maintain 47 aircraft in service: 8 units. general purpose, 6 units. for maritime patrol, 5 units. anti-submarine, 2 units. transport, 9 units combat training, 8 units. assault, 9 units. educational and training.

Gendarmerie

The gendarmerie service appeared in the country in 1938. Gendarmes are a family internal troops, daily monitoring law and order on the streets of the country. These are Argentine police officers, of whom there are more than 12,000 people. Another important purpose of this type of troops is to protect the border territory. In addition to professionals, these troops consist of 70,000 volunteers. Management is carried out from 4 headquarters: in Cordoba, Campo de Mayo, Bahia Blanca and Rosario.

Naval Prefecture

The unit is a state coast guard force and has its own intelligence department. Ensures the integrity and security of the coastline and government facilities, compliance with Argentine legislation in the field of fisheries, the movement of its own and foreign vessels in the territorial waters of the state.

More than 13,000 soldiers are deployed in 10 deployment zones. The state coast guard includes: 6 aircraft carriers“Mantilla” (1 helicopter on board), more than 60 boats various types and displacement, 3 research and auxiliary ships, a service vessel, helicopters of various brands.

Leadership of the Armed Forces of Argentina

The leadership of the armed forces of the Argentine Republic is carried out by the supreme commander of the country - the elected president. Currently, this is Mauricio Macri, elected in December 2015. Previously, he was a member of the country's parliament (lower house) and mayor of the capital Buenos Aires.

Since 1985, he has been involved in business, heading a group of companies founded by his father. For 12 years (1995-2007), Macri served as head of the Boko Juniors football club, leading the club out of crisis and making it one of the strongest in the world.

The country's armed forces are led by Defense Minister Oscar Aguad.

The Ministry of Defense is located in an ancient building, one of the symbols of the capital of the country, Buenos Aires - Libertador.

The structure of the Argentine Ministry of Defense is as follows (the names of the leaders are indicated in brackets):

• Committee of Chiefs of Staff (Bari del Sosa, Miguel Angel Mascolo);
• General Staff (Diego Suñer);
• Management of military objectives and strategy;
• Planning Authority;
• Committee for External Defense;
• Directorate of Military Intelligence;
• Office of Human Rights;
• Enterprises of the defense equipment production complex;
• Defense Technology Research Institute.

In general, the combat effectiveness of the Argentine army is at a high level. This is the second most powerful army (after Brazil) on the continent. There are no major military conflicts in the region.

Argentine Armed Forces and the Church

There is a special structure within the Argentine Armed Forces - the Ordinariate Roman Catholic Church. The responsibilities of this service include pastoral and spiritual assistance to state military personnel and members of their families. The Ordinariate is subordinate to the Holy See of the Vatican.

Conflicts in which the Argentine army took part

Since its formation, the armed forces of the Argentine Republic have taken part in the following major military conflicts:

• Military actions of 1810-1816, as a result of which Argentina gained independence from Spain.
• Continuation of hostilities in the geographical region of Rio de la Plata in 1818-1825, leading to the emergence independent states Paraguay and Uruguay.
• Military conflict with Brazil (for the right to own the province of Sisplatina) in 1825-1828.
• War allied with Uruguay and Brazil against Paraguay in 1864-1870.
• with Great Britain (in 1982) for the right to own the Falkland Islands and the Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Internal military conflict in Uruguay in 1839-1851.

Today there is peace in the country and on its borders.