Argentina to increase AF budjet 54% over 2007

[ROCK45]

I did a Argentina search and only found a Mirage thread and didn't think this belongs in it.
The budget boost will represent a 54% increase over 2007, for training and for the recovery of Air Force equipment and material”. Does anybody know if Argentina will be purchasing newer fighters anytime soon?

Quote from story
She also revealed that Argentina together with “friendly countries” from the region was in the process of an ambitious initiative to recover the manufacturing capacity of the Cordoba plant.

Does the friendly nation mean Venezuela? I did a simple Google search for "Cordoba plant,Argentina" and didn't find anything aviation. Maybe somebody knows if plant in the past ever produce aircraft parts? Not many articels about Argentina and aviation so I posted it. Argentina's old French fighters and slightly upgraded A-4 are getting on the old side one might say.
I was reading a while back about China trying to sell Argentina some radar's and maybe some helicopters does anybody know if anything came of it? Argentina basically a French/US shop would they buy FC-1, with a little help from Chavez? I don't know much about Argentina maybe somebody else can give a little breakdown or update. In theory at least wouldn't something like what Pakistan buying JF-17 be a useful selection, price & performance wise?
I can't see Argentina jumping in and buying 4th or 4th+ generation fighters right off the bat unless there economy doing better then I know.

Article I found
Argentina’s Defence Minister announced on Thursday a budget boost and promised a significant increase in the number of aircraft for the Air Force during the celebration of Malvinas War Fire Baptism Day. “The budget boost will represent a 54% increase over 2007, for training and for the recovery of Air Force equipment and material”, said Defence minister Nilda Garré.

Addressing the Air Force Chief of Staff, officers and personnel Ms Garré recalled not only the courage but also the capability and skill of Argentine pilots and combatants during the Falklands war.

It was precisely on May first 1982 that the Argentine Air Force became involved for the first time ever in combat with the British Task Force sent to recover the Falklands Islands.

“Argentine Air Force pilots inflicted the Royal Navy the greatest damage in combat since the Second World War”, added Garré.

The minister pointed out that “Malvinas was also evidence of the lack of organization and joint functioning of the Argentine Armed Forces which led to serious mistakes at the moment of coordinated military operations”.

And the price paid in any war “is always very high and is measured in human lives”.

Garré then praised Mr. and Mrs. Kirchner administrations saying that they have created the institutional foundations for the reorganization of the Armed Forces and planning defense alternatives.

“This included creating the Operational Command for the Armed Forces and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and amending its structures”.

More specifically on equipment and material Garre promised that the Air Force “this year will have a display of operational aircrafts significantly greater than in previous years”.

“We are recovering the workshops and technical support for Air Brigades I, II and IX as well as material recovery in Rio Cuarto, Quilmes and logistics in Cordoba and El Palomar. All have approved budgets and are on course”, said Garre.

She also revealed that Argentina together with “friendly countries” from the region was in the process of an ambitious initiative to recover the manufacturing capacity of the Cordoba plant.

Finally she said that in the pursuit of greater efficiency and transparency the Ministry was in the process of creating a Defence Logistic Agency.


Link
http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id=13313&formato=HTML

 

[swerve]

I did a simple Google search for "Cordoba plant,Argentina" and didn't find anything aviation. Maybe somebody knows did this plant in the past ever produce aircraft parts?

Try searching for FMA or Fábrica Militar de Aviones, Cordoba.

 

[ROCK45]

Area Material Cordoba

Thanks swerve
I found this below and though I'll share if Argentina can get this part of the industry going again and would help there cause.

Area Material Cordoba

In 1995, the Argentine government privatized the former Area Material Cordoba, and Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina S.A., was formed. Due to the chaotic state of the Area Material Cordoba facilities when acquired by Lockheed, some counted this as a greenfield project. Lockheed invested $230 million in revamping the facilities for aircraft repair. The term of the privatization of the facility is for 25 years with two additional ten-year options.

The Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) located in Córdoba was founded in 1927 and has produced over 1,300 aircraft of 30 different types. The FMA is a manufacturing center belonging to the FAA. Following Germany’s defeat in World War II, Kurt Tank, the Focke-Wulf chief engineer and the designer of such famous airplanes as the Focke-Wulf Fw-190 fighter, restarted his professional life in Latin America. The Argentinean Government offered him the opportunity to work at the Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA - Military Airplane Factory) in Córdoba, at the time known as the Instituto Aerotécnico, (Aerotechnical Institute). Kurt Tank, along with many others who had worked with him at Focke-Wulf, moved to Cordoba in 1947.

On 9 August 1947, an Argentine jet prototype known as IA-27 Pulqui I flew for the first time -- the fruit of an idea developed by a French-Argentine group headed by the engineer Emile Dewoitine and assisted by Argentine engineers Ignacio San Martin and Norberto Morcchio, who were working at the Fábrica Militar de Aviones. With the Pulqui in the Cordovan sky, the Argentine aeronautics industry gave a gigantic jump and Argentina became the fifth country in making a jet plane. First there was the German Heinkel He-178, inaugurated the 27 of August of 1939); soon they followed the Briton Gloster E.28/39 (15 of May of 1941), the American Bell P-59 "Aircomet" (30 of September of 1942) and the Soviet Mig-9 "Fargo" (26 of April of 1946).

Later on, on 27 June 1950, the IA-33 Pulqui II, a second Argentine jet prototype, made its maiden flight. This aircraft was the product of similar engineering teamwork, in this case led by the German engineer Kurt Tank. The Pulqui II was a completely metallic aircraft, powered by a Rolls-Royce Nene II with 2315 kg (5100 pounds) of thrust. Its wings had a 40º swept angle, and it was able to reach a maximum speed of 652 miles per hour. However, neither of these two models was ever manufactured in mass production. This omission frustrated a great hope to make the country reach a higher technological level. The fall from power in 1955 of Juan Peron as President meant the interruption in the development of new aircraft at the Cordoba Factory. Most of the engineers composing Kurt Tank’s team left Argentina, and Kurt Tank himself settled in India, working for the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) developing the HF-24 Marut supersonic fighter.

The Argentine Ministry of Defense also signed the first five-year contract for the maintenance, modification and modernization of the Air Force fleet in 1995. This contract was followed by a second one, signed in July 2000 which, besides the maintenance of Air Force aircraft, included the manufacture of 12 AT-63 attack-trainer aircraft.

The experience gained by Aircraft Argentina and its new capabilities, such as the modernization of test benches for JT8D testing, provides the company with the ability to offer extensive maintenance, modification and state-of-the-art upgrades for commercial airlines. Aircraft Argentina offers a one-stop-shop with exceptional post-sales service.

Aircraft Maintenance, Modification and Upgrade tasks are performed on C-130 Hercules, F-27 and F-28 Fokker, AT-63 Pampa, IA-58 Pucara, A-4AR Fightinghawk, T-34 Mentor and Boeing 737-200 aircraft.

Manufacturing capabilities include manufacturing of aircraft, aircraft parts, assemblies, subassemblies, tooling, jigs and composite material parts. Available technologies include: conventional machining, water jet, heat treatment, CNC manufacturing, metal molding Gantry and conventional press, anti-corrosion treatments and painting processes among others.

Engine maintenance, engine repair, overhaul and test, components overhaul and repair, service bulletins and modification tasks are performed on the Allison T-56, Atar 09C, Garrett TFE 731, J-52, T-53 and JT-8D engines.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/argentina/amc.htm

 

[Generalissimo]

Might this mean that we will see some Eurofighters based in the Falklands soon?

 

[ASFC]

Well I always thought 2010 to be the retirement date of the F3, so if that is correct then we should see Eurofighters in the Falklands within about 18 months anyway regardless of any budget increase made by the Argentinans.

 

[BuSOF]

Might this mean that we will see some Eurofighters based in the Falklands soon?

The Falkland Flt. is converting to the EF-2000 in 2008 as planned, so that decision was already taken.

 

[ROCK45]

Falkland Flt.

Nothing Argentina has or will have soon can deal with Eurofighters period. You don't see many articels about Argentina's aviation, that's why I posted it. Talk to somebody from the country and nothing official or anything just rumors and lose talk about getting some France Mirage 2000 S5, in 2013. He mentioned that Brazil bought S3 and S5 had the newer engine. Myself I never heard a Mirage 2000 called "S" anything so didn't make sense to me. I don't think it will turn out to be anything and wouldn't make much difference anyway.

 

[Musashi_kenshin]

Where would Argentina be getting Mirage 2000s from, anyway? The production line's closed.

 

[ROCK45]

Closed

I know that he mention from France's AF. I assume once more Rafale's come online.

 

[Salty Dog]

Where would Argentina be getting Mirage 2000s from, anyway? The production line's closed.

Brazil purchased 12 ex-AdA Mirage 2000C/D in 2005. Argentina can do the same.

 

[swerve]

Brazil purchased 12 ex-AdA Mirage 2000C/D in 2005. Argentina can do the same.

Only if the AdlA releases them, & it was very reluctant to sell those that Brazil bought. The French government had to overrule the air force.

There are 12 Mirage 2000-5 for sale in Qatar, but the Qataris won't sell for a pittance. They're low hours, very well maintained, & come with full spares & weapons stocks.

 

[Musashi_kenshin]

Only if the AdlA releases them, & it was very reluctant to sell those that Brazil bought. The French government had to overrule the air force.

There are 12 Mirage 2000-5 for sale in Qatar, but the Qataris won't sell for a pittance. They're low hours, very well maintained, & come with full spares & weapons stocks.

Nothing more I can add to that, other than agree with you. And I don't think Argentina could afford that price even with a budget boost.

 

[ASFC]

The problem is, 12 is just not going to be enough for how much those 12 in Qatar would cost. There is going to be at least 28 (and counting) F-16's to the west in Chile, 12 Mirage 2000's and 100 other combat jets (mix of F-5 and AMX plus any future replacements) to the North in Brazil and up to a Squadron of Typhoon and Daring to the East if the Argentine Air Force ever entered a shooting war with its neighbours.

Frankly, given that LM own their main aircraft factory(do they still?) after the A-4 deal, i'm surprised they have not proded them for a cheapish F-16 deal, giving them a force of F-16's complemented by the remaining Skyhawks.

DOH! Sorry i had a mental block swerve!

 

[ROCK45]

LM factory

I agree the normal route would have been F-16s in some form but this seems like a funding issue and political mixed in. I see no changes here unless a reason comes up and I don't see that Chile and Argentina seem to be getting along. A poster in another forum told me that Chile & Argentina have some sort of "joint unit" where forces serve together. Not sure it's true I guess it could easily be look up. Chile has some balance military next store army, air force, and navy, that copper law is helping big time.

 

[swerve]

The problem is, 12 is just not going to be enough for how much those 12 in Qatar would cost. There is going to be at least 28 (and counting) F-16's to the east in Chile, 12 Mirage 2000's and 100 other combat jets (mix of F-5 and AMX plus any future replacements) to the North in Brazil and up to a Squadron of Typhoon and Daring to the East if the Argentine Air Force ever entered a shooting war with its neighbours.

Frankly, given that LM own their main aircraft factory(do they still?) after the A-4 deal, i'm surprised they have not proded them for a cheapish F-16 deal, giving them a force of F-16's complemented by the remaining Skyhawks.

West. Or at least, it was when I travelled between them. :

Argentina has considered a few options. One was upgraded Mirage F.1s, which was actually more sensible than it sounds. It's a relatively cheap way to get useful numbers, the Moroccan upgrade is quite capable, it has enough commonality with their old Mirages to make transition easy, & there were still enough in store scattered around to make it feasible, when mooted - but I'm not sure if that's still true. Used F-16s is another possibility, of course.

Don't forget that Argentinas A-4s are very different beasts from what they started out as. They have a useful air-air capability, for a start. A squadron of ex-Qatari M2k-5 plus the A-4ARs shouldn't be sneezed at. The A-4ARs could, potentially, be equipped with Derby AAMs. The Qatari M2Ks wouldn't be cheap, but they're good for many years & available quickly. The Argentineans could then concentrate on choosing a type to eventually replace the A-4ARs. All conditional, of course, on the money being available, which so far it hasn't been.

BTW, the quickest & cheapest ways to boost Argentinas air strength would be to get all the A-4ARs back into service (there's not been enough money to keep them all flying recently), buy some new AAMs & PGMS, & some new tankers, e.g. a couple of converted secondhand airliners.