03/08/2008 (Infodefensa.com) - The government of Rodriguez Zapatero has offered to Argentina the sale of at least a dozen Mirage F-1M advantageous financial conditions to modernize its Air Force, official sources confirmed Infodefensa.com .
The Spanish offer would be between 12 and 16 of these fighter jets during their working life have received various upgrades and represent a significant improvement in the operational capabilities of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA) for both air interdiction missions, surveillance and control national airspace and ground attack.
Spanish official sources would not specify the conditions under which these aircraft would be transferred but said they are "very favorable" given that is scheduled soon scrapped Spanish Air Force into service over the new Eurofighter 2000 Typhoon ( C-16 in the Spanish name).
The Spanish Mirage F-1M (C-14M Air Force designation) would replace Argentine Mirage IIIEA allocated in the 6th Squadron II. FAA Aviation Brigade located in Tandil, and serve as a temporary solution until Buenos Aires to make a decision about buying a new fighter, which is not expected until 2012.
The incorporation of the Spanish Mirage F-1M, a plane intermediate between the first-generation fighter aircraft Mach 2 (like the F-104) and last (F-18 and Typhoon), the FAA would regain effective control of national airspace, which is currently very difficult to meet the shortage of aircraft and its low degree of operability.
The Spanish Air Force itself on its website says about the F-1 "which means any form of a modern air superiority fighter with secondary capability of ground attack because of his electronic equipment and inertial system."
According to Argentine sources, the FAA was forced during the Summit of Mar del Plata in 2005 and, more recently, during the Mercosur presidential summit in Tucuman to deploy A-4AR Fighting Hawk (A-4M improved) because they were the able to operate only air-air missile AIM-9L Sidewinder provided by the U.S.. The F-1M can be transported 4 air-air missiles of this type and others of this family with which Argentina has.
Due to the delays that led the Eurofighter program, the Spanish Council of Ministers of
June 30, 1995 authorize the modernization of 53 F-1 Mirage F-1CT-standard, at a cost of 17.875 million pesetas, of which 3.835 million were deducted from the sale of 22 Mirage III EDA / DDA former Air Force Pakistan.
With this modernization, these fighters became multirole aircraft, retaining its original air-air capabilities, but incorporating significant ground attack capabilities by incorporating, for example, designated by launching laser weapons.
Like the F-1CT French, Spanish C-14M incorporated a ULISSE inertial navigation system 47 of SAGEM, a central computer M182XR Dassault Electronique, a holographic front presenter (HUD) and a panoramic VE120 TRT TMV630A laser rangefinder, these last two of Thales. The central pylon under the fuselage was also reinforced to keep external auxiliary fuel tank of 2,200 liters.
The upgrade to the standard M gave them the ability to launch the air-sea missile AM-39 Exocet, in the role of maritime attack, missiles and other precision-guided bombs for ground attack role, and the most modern air-to - AIM-9M Sidewinder air-capable every aspect in the roles of interception, air superiority and self-defense.
España ofrece a Argentina cazas Mirage F-1M en condiciones ventajosas para modernizar su Fuerza Aérea - infodefensa.com - Información Defensa y Seguridad
