"Argentine Wings"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 August (anniversary)
1 May (Baptism of fire during the Falklands War)
, equipment = 139 aircraft
, equipment_label =
, battles =
*
Operation Independence
Operativo Independencia ("Operation Independence") was a 1975 Argentine military operation in Tucumán Province to crush the People's Revolutionary Army (ERP), a Guevarist guerrilla group which tried to create a Vietnam-style war front in the n ...
*
Operation Soberanía
Operación Soberanía (Operation Sovereignty) was a planned Argentine military invasion of Chile due to the Beagle conflict. The invasion was initiated on 22 December 1978 but was halted after a few hours and Argentine forces retreated from the co ...
*
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...
*
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
*
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
*
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
*
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
*
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
, decorations =
, battle_honours =
, battle_honours_label =
, flying_hours =
, website =
, commander1 =
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Alberto Fernández
Alberto Ángel Fernández (; born 2 April 1959) is an Argentine politician, lawyer and professor, serving as president of Argentina since 2019.
Born in Buenos Aires, Fernández attended the University of Buenos Aires, where he earned his law ...
, commander1_label =
Commander-in-Chief
, commander2 =
Brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...
Xavier Isaac
, commander2_label =
Chief of Staff of the Air Force
, notable_commanders =
, identification_symbol =
![Roundel of Argentina – Low Visibility](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Roundel_of_Argentina_%E2%80%93_Low_Visibility.svg)
, identification_symbol_label =
Roundel
A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of differ ...
, identification_symbol_2 =
![Flag of Argentina](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Flag_of_Argentina.svg)
, identification_symbol_2_label =
Fin flash
Military aircraft insignia are insignia applied to military aircraft to identify the nation or branch of military service to which the aircraft belong. Many insignia are in the form of a circular roundel or modified roundel; other shapes such as ...
, aircraft_attack =
A-4AR
The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998. The program was named ''Fightinghawk'' in recognition of the ...
,
Pampa
The Pampas (from the qu, pampa, meaning "plain") are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil ...
, aircraft_bomber =
, aircraft_electronic =
, aircraft_fighter =
A-4AR
The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998. The program was named ''Fightinghawk'' in recognition of the ...
, aircraft_helicopter =
Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.
Design and development
Development began in the ...
,
Bell 212
The Bell 212 (also known as the ''Twin Two-Twelve'') is a two-blade, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in ...
,
Hughes 500D
The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500 was developed from the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach. The series currently includes the M ...
,
SA315,
Mil Mi-171
, aircraft_helicopter_attack =
, aircraft_helicopter_cargo =
, aircraft_helicopter_multirole =
, aircraft_helicopter_observation =
, aircraft_helicopter_trainer =
, aircraft_helicopter_utility =
, aircraft_interceptor =
, aircraft_patrol =
Tucano
, aircraft_recon =
Pucará
, aircraft_trainer =
T-6 Texan II
The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engine turboprop aircraft built by the Raytheon Aircraft Company (Textron Aviation since 2014). A trainer aircraft based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 has replaced the United States Air Force's Cessna T ...
,
Tucano,
Pampa
The Pampas (from the qu, pampa, meaning "plain") are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil ...
,
Grob 120TP
, aircraft_transport =
C-130
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...
,
DHC-6
, aircraft_tanker =
, aircraft_general =
The Argentine Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Argentina, or simply ''FAA'') is the
air force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
of Argentina and branch of the
Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic
The Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, in es, Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina, are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief (the President) and a civilian Minister of Defense. In addition to the Army, Navy and Air Force, there are ...
. In 2018, it had 13,837 military
and 6,900 civilian personnel.
History
![FAA F-86 Sabre Lanus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/FAA_F-86_Sabre_Lanus.JPG)
The Air Force's history began with the establishment of the
Army Aviation Service's ''Escuela de Aviación Militar'' ('Military Aviation School') on 10 August 1912.
Interwar period
Throughout the years following
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the Argentine Air Force received various aircraft from France and Italy. In 1922, the ''Escuela Militar de Aviación'' was temporarily disbanded, resulting in the formation of ''Grupo 1 de Aviación'' ('Aviation Group One') as an operational unit. During 1925, the ''Escuela Militar de Aviación'' was reopened, and the ''Grupo 3 de Observación'' ('Observation Group Three') created, with ''Grupo 1 de Aviación'' becoming known as ''Grupo 1 de Observación'' shortly after.
In 1927, the ' ('General Aeronautics Authority') was created to coordinate the country's military aviation. In that same year, the
Fábrica Militar de Aviones (lit. 'Military Aircraft Factory', FMA), which would play a crucial role in the country's aviation industry, was founded in
Córdoba.
Despite that, throughout the 1930s, Argentina acquired various aircraft from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.
![FMA CURTISS HAWK 75-0](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/FMA_CURTISS_HAWK_75-0.jpg)
By 1938–39, Argentina's air power consisted of roughly 3,200 personnel (including about 200 officers) and maintained approximately 230 aircraft. Roughly 150 of these were operated by the army and included
Dewoitine D.21
__NOTOC__
The Dewoitine D.21 was 1920s French open-cockpit, fixed- undercarriage monoplane fighter aircraft.
Design and development
The prototype D.21 was a development of the D.12. The aircraft was license-built in Switzerland (by EKW), Cz ...
and
Curtiss P-36 Hawk
The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, is an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation ...
fighters;
Breguet 19 Breguet or Bréguet may refer to:
* Breguet (watch), watch manufacturer
**Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823), Swiss watchmaker
**Louis-François-Clement Breguet (1804–1883), French physicist, watchmaker, electrical and telegraph work
* Bréguet ...
reconnaissance planes;
Northrop A-17
The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F model, was a two-seat, single-engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the United States Army Air Corps. When in British Commonwealth service during W ...
and
Martin B-10
The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to be regularly used by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934.Jackson 2003, p. 246. It was also the first mass-produced bomber whose performance was superior to ...
bombers,
North American NA-16
The North American Aviation NA-16 was the first trainer aircraft built by North American Aviation, and was the beginning of a line of closely related North American trainer aircraft that would eventually number more than 17,000 examples, notabl ...
trainers,
Focke-Wulf Fw 58
The Focke-Wulf Fw 58 ''Weihe'' ( Harrier) was a German aircraft, built to fill a request by the ''Luftwaffe'' for a multi-role aircraft, to be used as an advanced trainer for pilots, gunners and radio operators.
Design and development
The Fw ...
as multi-role planes,
Junkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52/3m (nicknamed ''Tante Ju'' ("Aunt Ju") and ''Iron Annie'') is a transport aircraft that was designed and manufactured by German aviation company Junkers.
Development of the Ju 52 commenced during 1930, headed by German Aeros ...
, and
Fairchild 82
The Fairchild 82 and the 34-42 Niska were a family of utility aircraft produced in Canada in the mid-1930s, based on designs by Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada)'s parent company in the United States.
Design and development
In 1929-1930, Fairchi ...
transports; Approximately 80 out of the 230 aircraft present were operated by the navy and included the
Supermarine Southampton
The Supermarine Southampton was a flying boat of the interwar period designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Supermarine. It was one of the most successful flying boats of the era.
The Southampton was derived from the experime ...
,
Supermarine Walrus
The Supermarine Walrus (originally designated the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and manufactured by Supermarine at Woolston, Southampton.
The Walrus f ...
,
Fairey Seal
The Fairey Seal was a British carrier-borne spotter-reconnaissance aircraft, operated in the 1930s. The Seal was derived – like the Gordon – from the IIIF. To enable the Fairey Seal to be launched by catapult from warships, it could be fitt ...
,
Fairey III
The Fairey Aviation Company Fairey III was a family of British reconnaissance biplanes that enjoyed a very long production and service history in both landplane and seaplane variants. First flying on 14 September 1917, examples were still in us ...
,
Vought O2U Corsair
The Vought O2U Corsair was a 1920s biplane scout and observation aircraft. Developed by Vought Corporation, the O2U was ordered by the United States Navy (USN) in 1927. Powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine, it inco ...
,
Consolidated P2Y
The Consolidated P2Y was an American flying boat maritime patrol aircraft. The plane was a parasol monoplane with a fabric-covered wing and aluminum hull.
Development
Initially created to compete for a U.S. Navy contract dated February 28, 19 ...
,
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
The Curtiss T-32 Condor II was a 1930s American biplane airliner and bomber aircraft built by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. It was used by the United States Army Air Corps as an executive transport.
Development
The Condor II was a 19 ...
,
Douglas Dolphin
The Douglas Dolphin is an American amphibious flying boat. While only 58 were built, they served a wide variety of roles including private air yacht, airliner, military transport, and search and rescue.
Design and development
The Dolphin origin ...
, and
Grumman J2F Duck
The Grumman J2F Duck (company designation G-15) is an American single-engine amphibious biplane. It was used by each major branch of the U.S. armed forces from the mid-1930s until just after World War II, primarily for utility and air-sea resc ...
.
World War II and Immediate Post-War
The first step towards establishing the Air Force as a separate branch of the Armed Forces was taken during the 11th of February 1944 to establish the Aeronautical Command-in-Chief (''Comando en Jefe de Aeronáutica'') directly under the mandate of the Department of War. This later became the Argentine Air Force by decree on the 4th of January 1945, which also created the (''Secretaría de Aeronáutica'').
At the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the Air Force began a process of
modernization
Modernization theory is used to explain the process of modernization within societies. The "classical" theories of modernization of the 1950s and 1960s drew on sociological analyses of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and a partial reading of Max Weber, ...
. This 'golden age' (roughly 1945–1955) was ushered in by the availability of foreign currency in Argentina, an abundance of now-unemployed aerospace engineers from Germany, Italy, and France, and the British provision of latest-generation engines alongside other aircraft parts. In his first term, President
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine Army general and politician. After serving in several government positions, including Minister of Labour and Vice President of a military dictatorship, he was elected P ...
brought teams of European engineers to the FMA, nowadays the ''Instituto Aerotécnico'' ('Aerotechnical Institute'), or I.Ae., to promote aircraft technological development. The count totaled to around 750 workers, including two teams of German designers (led by
Kurt Tank
Kurt Waldemar Tank (24 February 1898 – 5 June 1983) was a German aeronautical engineer and test pilot who led the design department at Focke-Wulf from 1931 to 1945. He was responsible for the creation of several important Luftwaffe aircraft of ...
) and the French engineer
Émile Dewoitine
Émile Dewoitine (26 September 1892 – 5 July 1979) was a French aviation industrialist.
Prewar industrial activities
Born in Crépy-en-Laonnais, Émile Dewoitine entered the aviation industry by working at Latécoère during World War I. ...
.
In 1947, the Air Force acquisitioned 100
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies of World War II, Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turb ...
jet fighters. These aircraft were paid for by the United States to partially pay back its debt to Argentina, which had provided them with raw materials during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. This purchase caused the Argentine air force to become the first in Latin America equipped with jet-propelled combat fighters. In addition, several
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694 Lincoln is a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were initially known as the Lancaster IV and V; these were renamed Lincoln I and ...
and
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirlin ...
bombers were also acquired.
The Air Force, with former
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
officers as consultants and with the European teams that Perón had brought, also began to develop its own aircraft, e.g., the
I.Ae. 27 Pulqui I and the
I.Ae. 33 Pulqui II. These manufactures gave Argentina the positions of the first country in Latin America and the sixth in the world to develop jet fighter technology on its own. Other Argentina-developed, twin-engine aircraft included the
I.Ae. 35 Huanquero, the
I. Ae 22 DL advanced trainer, the
I.Ae 24 Calquín bomber, the trainer, the bi-motor combat fighter
I.Ae. 30 Ñancú, and the assault glider
I.Ae. 25 Mañque, as well as rockets and planes for civilian use (like the
FMA 20 El Boyero).
Cold War Period
In the ''Revolución Libertadora'' (1955)
The Argentine Air Force came into active operation for the first time on June 16, 1955 during the
bombing of the Plaza de Mayo in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
. Government loyalist Gloster Meteors fought rebel planes and attempted a failed assassination of the President in a coup d'état. The plan failed, and the rebels bombed the city and the
House of Government). In
the following September coup, the Air Force supported Perón's government by initiating combat operations and transporting troops and arms with a meager five aircraft defecting to the other side. After the ''Revolución Libertadora'' succeeded and the coup took place, previously mentioned operations ceased and most Air Force workers left the country, including engineer Kurt Tank who left to work in India. Despite claims that the Argentine Air Force "baptisme by fire" took place during the Malvinas War (1982), this was actually the first time it entered combat.
Antarctic Support
During 1952, the Air Force started supplying the
Antarctic scientific bases using ski-equipped
Douglas C-47s. Previously, President Juan Perón had created the Antarctic Task Forces (FATA, ''Fuerzas de Tareas Antárticas'') to fulfill this purpose. In 1970, the Air Force began operating
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
aircraft into Antarctica. The
Fokker F-28 Fellowship
The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a twin-engined, short-range jet airliner designed and built by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.
Following the Fokker F27 Friendship, an early and commercially successful turboprop-powered regional airliner, Fokker ...
presidential aircraft is reported to be the first jet to have landed there, in 1973. Since the 1970s,
DHC-6 Twin Otter
The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted ...
s have also been deployed, with the Air Force launching Operation Transantar on October 1973. This resulted in the first trans-Antarctic three-continent flight in history when a Hercules C-130 flew between
Río Gallegos
Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil.
Rio or Río may also refer to:
Geography Brazil
* Rio de Janeiro
* Rio do Sul, a ...
;
Marambio Base
("Antarctica's Entrance Door")
, motto =
, anthem =
, pushpin_map = Antarctica
, pushpin_map_alt = Location within Antarctica
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Antarctica
, ...
;
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
Modernization (1960s–1970s)
![Operacion Sabre](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Operacion_Sabre.jpg)
In the 1960s, new aircraft were incorporated, including the
F-86F Sabre jet fighter and the
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed a ...
mainly used for ground-attack. During the 1970s, the Air Force re-equipped itself with
Mirage III
The Dassault Mirage III () is a family of single/dual-seat, single-engine, fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by French aircraft company Dassault Aviation. It was the first Western European combat aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in horizonta ...
interceptors,
IAI Dagger
The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher (Hebrew: נשר, 'griffon vulture', often mistranslated as 'eagle') was the Israeli version of the French Dassault Mirage 5 multirole fighter.Gupta 1997, p. 105.
Having sustained aircraft losses during the S ...
multi-role fighters, and
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
cargo planes. A
counter-insurgency
Counterinsurgency (COIN) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionar ...
airplane, the
Pucará, was also manufactured and used in substantial numbers. The Air Force also had an important role in the 1976 coup which lead to a
military dictatorship that lasted until 1983.
Falklands War (1982)
The
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
was the first war fought by the Argentine Air Force against an external enemy. Some operational aircraft were obsolete. However, the airforce came close to winning the war for Argentina. During the war, the Air Force division of the Military Junta was called the ''Fuerza Aérea Sur'' (FAS, 'Southern Air Force'), and led by Ernesto Crespo.
Air engagements began on May 1, 1982 with the UK's
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
initiating Operation Black Buck, in which an
Avro Vulcan XM607 bomber attacked military air bases on the islands. The Task Force then sent
Sea Harriers
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval short take-off and vertical landing/vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft. It is the second member of the Harrier family developed. It first entered service ...
to attack positions at Stanley and Goose Green, where the first Argentine casualties occurred.
The Argentine Air Force reacted by sending multiple IAI Dagger, A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft, and Mirage III interceptors into the fray. The Mirage III went into combat with the Harriers on Bourbon Island, with one Mirage lost to a Harrier. On May 21, the
Battle of San Carlos ("Bomb Alley") began once the Air Force attacked a detachment of British ships involved in the landing in the San Carlos Water. The Dagger and Skyhawk aircraft sank three British ships (HMS ''Coventry'', a Type 42 destroyer; and two frigates, HMS ''Antelope'' and HMS ''Ardent'').
On June 8, the Air Force carried out an
operation in Bluff Cove. The British were using the landing ships RFA ''Sir Galahad'' and RFA ''Sir Tristram'' to position the 5th Infantry Brigade for an assault on Port Stanley. As these ships were unloading and therefore vulnerable, they were attacked by nine A-4 Skyhawks in two waves, while five Daggers attacked the escorting frigate and four more conducted a decoy mission over the north of the islands to draw off British Sea Harriers. The Skyhawks destroyed the landing craft "Foxtrot 4", damaged the ''Sir Galahad'' so badly that it was subsequently scuttled and also severely damaged the ''Sir Tristram,'' although she survived and was later rebuilt. Fire and explosions on the ships resulted in 56 deaths and 150 wounded; the worst single loss of life for the British in the war. After their attack, three A-4s from the second wave were shot down by Sea Harriers, killing all three pilots. All the explosive ordinance deployed by the Daggers failed to explode.
On June 13, the A-4 Skyhawks of the Argentinian Air Force renewed their attacks in two formations of four aircraft each and launched an attack against enemy troops and helicopters. On June 14, 1982, the Argentine command surrendered, returning control of the Falklands, Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands to the United Kingdom. The Argentine Air Force suffered 55 dead and 47 wounded, with 505 combat departures and 62 aircraft losses, as listed below:
* 19 A-4 Skyhawk
* 2 Mirage III
* 11 Dagger
* 2 Canberra
* 24 IA-58 Pucará
* 1 C-130H Hercules
* 1 Learjet 35
* 2 Bell 212
Post-war (1983–2003)
![Canberra B-105 Mar del Plata kill marks](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Canberra_B-105_Mar_del_Plata_kill_marks.jpg)
After the war, the UK imposed an arms embargo on Argentina. The United States, however, sold Argentina 36
A-4AR Fighting hawks, a refurbished and upgraded version of the
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed a ...
s. Other equipment purchased by Argentina were: 23 US Army surplus OV-1 Mohawks, 22 Ex-Israeli IAI Dagger, 2 C-130B, and 1 Lockheed L-100-30.
Argentina started the development of brand new aircraft, including the
FMA IA-63 Pampa, the combat fighter
FMA SAIA 90
The FMA SAIA 90 was a cancelled air superiority fighter aircraft project, designed by the FMA ( Fábrica Militar de Aviones) with the collaboration of Dornier in the mid-1980s. The SAIA 90 was the last stage of the ACA (Avión Caza Argentino) ...
, and the subsequent transformation of the
Condor missile into a medium-range ballistic missile. Of these, only the Pampa was successfully developed.
During 1994, Menem discontinued mandatory military service and began allowing women to serve.
Support to UN peacekeeping missions
The Argentine Air Force has been involved in
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
peacekeeping
Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare.
Within the United N ...
missions, sending a contingent to
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
in 1994 and deploying
Bell 212
The Bell 212 (also known as the ''Twin Two-Twelve'') is a two-blade, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in ...
helicopters to
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
during 2005.
Early 21st Century
In early 2005, seventeen
brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...
s, including the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Carlos Rohde, were fired by President
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner (; 25 February 195027 October 2010) was an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as the President of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, Governor of Santa Cruz Province from 1991 to 2003, Secretary General of UNASUR and ...
following a scandal involving drug trafficking through
Ezeiza International Airport
Ministro Pistarini International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini) , also known as Ezeiza International Airport owing to its location in the Ezeiza Partido in Greater Buenos Aires, is an international airport s ...
. Kirchner cited failures in the security systems of the Argentine airports, which were overseen by the National Aeronautic Police, then a branch of the Air Force (predecessor of the today independent
Airport Security Police), and cover-ups of the scandal.
2010s
budgetary constraints continued, leading to the disbanding of the
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is an American, long-range, narrow-body airliner, the first jetliner developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype first flown in 1954, the initial first flew on December 20, ...
transport squadron and maintenance problems for half of the
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
fleet.
In August 2010 a contract was signed for two
Mi-17E helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...
s, plus an option on a further three, to support
Antarctic bases.
The FAA has been seeking to replace its ageing force with more capable and more serviceable modern aircraft. The acquisition of Spanish Mirage
F1Ms, IAI
Kfir Block 60s
and
or AND may refer to:
Logic, grammar, and computing
* Conjunction (grammar), connecting two words, phrases, or clauses
* Logical conjunction in mathematical logic, notated as "∧", "⋅", "&", or simple juxtaposition
* Bitwise AND, a boolea ...
Saab
Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (; English: ''griffin'') is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stabilit ...
E/Fs were considered, but as of February 2015, all of those deals appear to have stalled; The Mirage F1 deal was scrapped by the Spanish government in March 2014 after pressure from the UK to not assist in FAA modernization over tensions between the countries over the Falkland Islands. The UK has also managed to veto the sale of Gripen E/Fs, as 30% of the Gripen's parts are manufactured there. The deal with Israel has reportedly stalled for technical and political reasons. China has allegedly offered
JF-17
The CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder ( ur , جے ایف-17 گرج), or FC-1 ''Xiaolong'' (), is a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China and the Pakistan Aeronautical ...
/FC-1's and
Chengdu J-10
The Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon (; NATO reporting name: Firebird), is a medium-weight, single-engine, multirole combat aircraft capable of all-weather operations, configured with a delta wing and canard design, with fly-by-wire flight contr ...
's to Argentina. The two countries have formed a working group to look into the transfer of 14 aircraft. Russia had also offered to lease 12
Su-24
The Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name: Fencer) is a supersonic, night fighter, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union. The aircraft has a variable-sweep wing, Twinjet, twin-engines and a side-by-side seating arrangement for it ...
strike aircraft to the FAA, but
Jane's
Jane's Information Group, now styled Janes, is a global open-source intelligence company specialising in military, national security, aerospace and transport topics, whose name derives from British author Fred T. Jane.
History
Jane's Informatio ...
reported that the Su-24 would not be very useful to the FAA and that "it would appear that any proposed transfer of such aircraft is likely the result of Russia playing political games with the UK over the continuing crisis in Ukraine." All Mirages were officially decommissioned on 30 November 2015. The A-4s were grounded for lack of spares;
in any case only 4–5 were airworthy with the rest in storage at
Villa Reynolds. When
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
visited in March 2016,
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. In common parlance, the term is used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used ...
was accompanied by US Air Force F-16s because Argentina could only offer Pucarás and Pampas for air defense.
As of July 2019, the Argentine Air Force and government selected the
KAI FA-50 as its interim fighter. With this act being the first step in modernizing the fighter force and replacing the Mirage 3, Dagger, and Mirage 5 fighters that have also been retired. It was also anticipated that obtaining FA-50 would help mitigate the retirement of the
Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk fleet, as they were ageing and becoming difficult to maintain. As of 2020, it is reported that as few as six of the Fightinghawk aircraft remain operational.
While no specific numbers of aircraft to purchase were given, the media reported that up to 10 FA-50s were considered. Despite elections coming in October 2019, the deal had been expected to go through. An Argentine delegation first visited the Republic of Korea Air Force in September 2016. At that time an FAA pilot was able to test fly the TA-50 Golden Eagle operational trainer variant of the FA-50.
However, the deal appeared to have been canceled in early 2020 leaving the Air Force without a fighter replacement. Some sources suggested that the cancellation was due to the financial pressures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, while others reported that British intervention played a part by preventing the export of an aircraft incorporating various British components. In October 2020,
Korea Aerospace Industries
Korea Aerospace Industries (Korean: 한국항공우주산업, Hanja: 韓國航空宇宙産業) (KAI) is a South Korean aerospace and defense company. It was originally established as a joint venture of Samsung Aerospace, Daewoo Heavy Industries' ...
(KAI) confirmed that since major components of the aircraft were supplied by the U.K., the aircraft could not be exported to Argentina. Britain similarly blocked the potential sale of Brazilian license-built
Saab Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (; English: ''griffin'') is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stabilit ...
aircraft to Argentina, given that some avionics were of British origin. Argentina was now said to be exploring the potential acquisition of aircraft from Russia, China, India or Pakistan. However, even sales of Chinese aircraft reportedly encountered potential problems since the ejector seats of the aircraft were the MK6, manufactured by Martin Baker in the UK.
2020s
![Argentina Air Force KC-130H Hercules Lofting](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Argentina_Air_Force_KC-130H_Hercules_Lofting.jpg)
Early in 2021, Russia made several proposals related to the acquisition of aircraft by Argentina including the apparent offer of
MiG-35 fighters. These built on earlier offers of the
MiG-29
The Mikoyan MiG-29 (russian: Микоян МиГ-29; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is a twin-engine fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. Developed by the Mikoyan design bureau as an air superiority fighter during the 1970s, the Mi ...
as well as on measures being undertaken to extend the life of
Mi-17
The Mil Mi-17 (NATO reporting name: Hip) is a Soviet-designed Russian military helicopter family introduced in 1975 (Mi-8M), continuing in production at two factories, in Kazan and Ulan-Ude. It is known as the Mi-8M series in Russian service. ...
1E helicopters acquired by Argentina in 2010 to support operations in
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
.
In 2021, one analysis found that the numbers of operational aircraft with offensive combat capability were practically at a level of zero. In addition to only around six A-4 ''Fightinghawk'' aircraft being operational, the availability of C-130 transport aircraft was only assessed as being at 6 of originally 14 aircraft. However, 23 light IA-63 ''Pampa'', 12 T-6C+ ''Texan II'' and 12 EMB-312 ''Tucano'' trainer aircraft were reported operational as of 2021. In September 2021 the Government officially included funding of $664 million in a draft budget for Congress involving the purchase of new combat aircraft.
To improve transport capabilities, two
Fokker F-28
The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a twin-engined, short-range jet airliner designed and built by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.
Following the Fokker F27 Friendship, an early and commercially successful turboprop-powered regional airliner, Fokker ...
aircraft which had been decommissioned in 2019 have been refurbished and put into service, the last one (TC-53) in early August 2021.
Organization
The FAA is one of the three branches of the Argentine military, having equal status with the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and the
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
. The President of Argentina is Commander-in-Chief of all the three services.
The FAA is headed by the Chief of the General Staff ('), directly appointed by the President.
The Chief of Staff usually holds the rank of Brigadier General, the highest rank of the Air Force, being seconded by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff and three senior officers in charge of the FAA's three Commands: the Air Operations, the Personnel, and the Materiel Command.
The
Air Operations Command (') is the branch of the Air Force responsible for aerospace defense, air operations, planning, training, and technical and logistical support of the air units. Subordinate to the Air Operations Command are the Air Brigades ('), the Air Force's major operative units, as well as the airspace surveillance and control group (
Grupo VYCEA, Argentine Air Force). There is currently estimated to be a total of eight air brigades operational. Brigades are headquartered at Military Air Bases (' (BAMs).
Each Air Brigade is made up of three Groups, each bearing the same number as their mother
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
Br ...
. These groups include:
*One Air Group ('), which operates the aircraft assigned to the Brigade. The Air Group is divided into a variable number of
Air Squadrons. Air Groups may be named according to their primary mission, for example, an air group specialized in fighter operations receives the designation of Fighter Group (''Grupo de Caza''). Currently, the Air Force includes three Fighter Groups (4th, 5th, and 6th), one Attack Group (3rd), one Transport Group (1st), and three plain Air Groups (2nd, 7th, and 9th). The 7th Air Group operates all the helicopters of the Air Force, while the 2nd includes a small reconnaissance unit as well as light transport aircraft. 9th Air Group is a light transport unit.
*One Technical Group ('), in charge of the maintenance and repair of the Brigade's aircraft.
*One Base Group ('), responsible for the airbase itself, weather forecasting, flight control, runway maintenance, etc. Base Groups also include Base Flights ('), generally made up of two or three liaison aircraft.
The Personnel Command (') is responsible for the training, education, assignment, and welfare of Air Force personnel. Under the control of the Personnel Command are the Military Aviation School (which educates the future officers of the Air Force), the Air Force
Non-Commissioned Officer
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...
(NCO) School, and other educational and training units.
The Materiel Command (') deals with planning and executing the Air Force's logistics regarding flying and ground materiel. Materiel Command includes "Quilmes" and "Río Cuarto" Material Areas (repairing and maintenance units) and "El Palomar" Logistical Area.
Order of Battle
*1st Air Brigade (El Palomar Military Air Base,
Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
) in
El Palomar Airport
El Palomar Airport is a commercial and military airport in El Palomar, Argentina. It is the home base for the 1st Air Brigade ( es, link=no, Primera Brigada Aérea) of the Argentine Air Force, which is mainly a transportation unit. It is locat ...
** 1st Air Transport Squadron (
C-130H Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...
;
KC-130H Hercules;
L-100-30 Hercules)
** 2nd Air Transport Squadron (
Fokker F-28
The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a twin-engined, short-range jet airliner designed and built by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.
Following the Fokker F27 Friendship, an early and commercially successful turboprop-powered regional airliner, Fokker ...
; partially used for state-run internal commercial flights as of 2021
)
** 5th Squadron (
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is an American, long-range, narrow-body airliner, the first jetliner developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype first flown in 1954, the initial first flew on December 20, ...
retired)
*2nd Air Brigade (Paraná Military Air Base,
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos (, "Between Rivers") is a central province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires (south), Corrientes (north) and Santa Fe (west), and Uruguay in the east.
Its capital is Paraná ( ...
) in
General Justo José de Urquiza Airport
General Justo José de Urquiza Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto de Entre Ríos "General Justo José de Urquiza") is located on the southeast side of Paraná, a city in the Entre Ríos Province of Argentina. The airport covers an area of and ...
** 2nd Reconnaissance Squadron (
Learjet 35
The Learjet Model 35 and Model 36 are a series of American multi-role business jets and military transport aircraft manufactured by Learjet. When used by the United States Air Force they carry the designation C-21A.
The aircraft are powered by ...
A)
** 4th Squadron (
Fokker F27-400M retired)
** Services Squadron (Cessna 182)
*3rd Air Brigade (Reconquista Military Air Base,
Santa Fe Province
The Province of Santa Fe ( es, Provincia de Santa Fe, ) is a Provinces of Argentina, province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco Province, Chaco (divided by the 28th ...
) in
Daniel Jukic Airport
** Services Squadron (
Cessna 182
The Cessna 182 Skylane is an American four-seat, single-engined light airplane built by Cessna of Wichita, Kansas. It has the option of adding two child seats in the baggage area.
Introduced in 1956, the 182 has been produced in a ...
)
** 14th Antiaircraft Artillery Battery (Oerlikon GAI-D01; Elta EL/M-2106)
*4th Air Brigade (El Plumerillo Military Air Base,
Mendoza Province
Mendoza, officially Province of Mendoza, is a province of Argentina, in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders San Juan to the north, La Pampa and Neuquén to the south, San Luis to the east, and the republic o ...
) in
Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport
Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional Gobernador Francisco Gabrielli) , better known as El Plumerillo International Airport, is located northeast of the centre of Mendoza, capital of the Men ...
** 1st Training Squadron (
FMA IA-63 Pampa serie 2)
** 3rd Search and Rescue Squadron (SA-315B Lama)
** 4th ''Cruz del Sur'' Aerobatics Squadron (
Su-29 retired)
** Fighter School
** 4th Antiaircraft Artillery Battery (Oerlikon GAI-D01; Elta EL/M-2106)
** West Tactical Intelligence Squadron
*5th Air Brigade (Villa Reynolds Military Air Base,
San Luis Province
San Luis () is a province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country (on the 32° South parallel). Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja, Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza and San Juan.
History
The ci ...
) in
Villa Reynolds Airport
Villa Reynolds Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto de Villa Reynolds) is a joint military/general aviation airport serving Villa Mercedes, a city in the San Luis Province of Argentina. It is southeast of Villa Mercedes, in Villa Reynolds, a vill ...
** 1st Fighter-Bomber Squadron (
A-4AR Fightinghawk
The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998. The program was named ''Fightinghawk'' in recognition of th ...
)
![Argentina Air Force Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk Lofting-2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Argentina_Air_Force_Lockheed_Martin_A-4AR_Fightinghawk_Lofting-2.jpg)
** 2nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron (
A-4AR Fightinghawk
The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998. The program was named ''Fightinghawk'' in recognition of th ...
)
** Services Squadron (Cessna 182; Hughes 500D)
** 5th Antiaircraft Artillery Battery (Rheinmetall RH 202; Elta EL/M-2106)
* 6th Air Brigade (Tandil Military Air Base,
Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
) in
Tandil Airport
Tandil Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Tandil, ), is an airport serving the city of Tandil, in the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina. The airport is northwest of the city.
Its area is , and it has a passenger terminal of . Most flights ar ...
** 1st Fighter-Bomber Squadron (
AMD Mirage 5P Mara retired)
** 2nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron (
IAI Finger retired)
** 3rd Air Interceptor Squadron (
AMD Mirage IIIEA/DA retired)
** Unknown Squadron (IA-63 Pampa II)
** Services Squadron (Cessna 182; Aerocommander 500)
** 13th Antiaircraft Artillery Battery (Oerlikon GAI-B01)
*7th Air Brigade (Moreno Military Air Base,
Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
) in
Mariano Moreno Airport
** 1st Search and Rescue Squadron (
Bell 212
The Bell 212 (also known as the ''Twin Two-Twelve'') is a two-blade, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in ...
;
Bell 412EP
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.
Design and development
Development began in the ...
)
** 2nd Tactical Squadron (Hughes 500D)
** 3rd Squadron (
Mil Mi-171E)
**
Special Operations Group ( es, Grupo de Operaciones Especiales, GOE)
*9th Air Brigade (Comodoro Rivadavia Military Air Base,
Chubut Province
Chubut ( es, Provincia del Chubut, ; cy, Talaith Chubut) is a province in southern Argentina, situated between the 42nd parallel south (the border with Río Negro Province), the 46th parallel south (bordering Santa Cruz Province), the Andes ra ...
) in
General Enrique Mosconi International Airport
General Enrique Mosconi International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional General Enrigue Mosconi) is an international airport in the Chubut Province, Argentina serving Comodoro Rivadavia. The airfield is located north of the cit ...
** 6th Air Transport Squadron (
SAAB 340B
The Saab 340 is a Swedish twin-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by Saab AB and Fairchild Aircraft. It is designed to seat 30-36 passengers and, as of July 2018, there were 240 operational aircraft used by 34 different o ...
)
** 7th Air Transport Squadron (
DHC-6 Twin Otter
The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted ...
)
** 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Battery (Rheinmetall RH 202)
** South Tactical Intelligence Squadron
*Morón Military Air Base (Buenos Aires Province) in
Morón Airport
** Unknown Squadron (Piper PA-34-220T Seneca; Piper/Chincul PA-28RT-201 Arrow; Piper PA-28-236 Dakota; Cessna 182)
*Mar del Plata Military Air Base (Buenos Aires Province) in
Astor Piazzolla International Airport
Ástor Piazzolla International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional de Mar del Plata "Ástor Piazzolla", ), also known as Mar del Plata Airport, is an airport serving Mar del Plata, an Atlantic coastal city in the Buenos Aires Provin ...
![IA-63 Pampa Ejercicio Integrador (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/IA-63_Pampa_Ejercicio_Integrador_%28cropped%29.jpg)
** Unknown Squadron (Roland II; Rheinmetall RH 202; Oerlikon GAI-D01; Oerlikon GDF-002; Skyguard)
** Antiaircraft Weapons Maintenance Squadron (UAV Pegasus; UAV Tehuelche; UAV Murciélago)
*Río Gallegos Military Air Base (
Santa Cruz Province) in
Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport
Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto de Río Gallegos "Piloto Civil Norberto Fernández", ) is located west of Río Gallegos, a city in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina. The airport covers an are ...
** Unknown Squadron (
AN/TPS-43
The AN/TPS-43 is a transportable air search 3D radar produced in the United States originally by Westinghouse Defense and Electronic Division, which was later purchased by Northrop-Grumman. It is used primarily for early warning and tactical co ...
)
** 6th Antiaircraft Artillery Battery
*Military Aviation School (Cordoba,
Córdoba Province)
** Glider Flight
** Services Squadron
** School Air Squadron (
Grob G 120TP
The Grob G 120TP is a two-seat turboprop training and aerobatic low-wing aircraft with a composite airframe, built by Grob Aircraft. It is based on the Grob G 120A training aircraft and has been developed for military and civil pilots training ...
;
Embraer EMB-312 Tucano
The Embraer EMB 312 Tucano (English: ''Toucan'') is a low-wing, tandem-seat, single-turboprop, basic trainer with counter-insurgency capability that was developed in Brazil. The Brazilian Air Force sponsored the EMB-312 project at the end of 19 ...
)
Ranks
Commissioned officer ranks
The rank insignia of
commissioned officer
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.
Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
s.
Other ranks
The rank insignia of
non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...
s and
enlisted personnel
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States m ...
.
Aircraft
Current inventory
Chiefs of the Argentine Air Force
See also
Argentine Military – Other Air Services
*
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army ( es, Ejército Argentino, EA) is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of Argentina. Under the Argentine Constitution, the president of Argentina is the commander- ...
**
Argentine Army Aviation
The Argentine Army Aviation ( es, Comando de Aviación de Ejército, AvEj) is the army aviation branch of the Argentine Army. Their members have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Army.
Along with its primary role of supporting ...
*
Argentine Navy
The Argentine Navy (ARA; es, Armada de la República Argentina). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the ...
**
Argentine Naval Aviation
)
Gulf War
, anniversaries =
, decorations =
, battle_honours =
, commander1 = President
, commander1_label = Commander-in-Chief
, commander2 ...
*
Military of Argentina
The Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, in es, Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina, are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief (the President) and a civilian Minister of Defense. In addition to the Army, Navy and Air Force, there are ...
Operational Use
*
Argentine air forces in the Falklands War
This article describes the composition and actions of the Argentine air forces in the Falklands War ( es, Guerra de las Malvinas), which comprised units of the Air Force, Army, Navy and other services.
For a description of air forces of the Uni ...
**
Battle of San Carlos
Units and Related Organisations
*
Agrupación Aérea Presidencial
The Agrupación Aérea Presidencial (Presidential Air Group) was the Air transports of heads of state and government, Head of State Air Transport Unit for the President of Argentina. It was closed in 2016 by president Mauricio Macri, because of th ...
– Presidential VIP fleet
*
Argentine Air Force Mobile Field Hospital
The Argentine Air Force Mobile Field Hospital ( es, Hospital Reubicable de la Fuerza Aérea ) is a field hospital operated by the Argentine Air Force. Established on August 21, 1981, it is one of three health centres of its kind worldwide.
Descri ...
*
LADE Lade may refer to:
People
* Brendon Lade (born 1976), an Australian rules footballer
* Sir John Lade (1759–1838), a baronet and Regency horse-breeder
* Heinrich Eduard von Lade (1817–1904), a German banker and amateur astronomer
* The Jarls o ...
– State government airline
Former aircraft
*
List of aircraft of the Argentine Air Force
This is a list of all fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift ...
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
*
Further reading
*
La Argentina fabricante de Aviones(retrieved 2016-04-23)
External links
*
Organization and equipment
{{Authority control
Military units and formations established in 1945