FAdeA gets "on line" with customers, partners

Shortly after its international debut in Chile, the re-nationalized Córdoba aircraft factory has seemingly started making inroads into the market. On 19 April, company spokeman Horacio G. Viqueira released a press comuniqué revealing that three Ministry of Defense contracts had just been issued to the company. Assuring it a stable workload for years 2010-2011, the contracts are valued at Argentine Pesos 679 million (US $ 175 million) and are expected to result in continued Air Force aircraft and engine maintenance services (Contract #08); manufacture of 8 IA-63 Pampa Serie II airframes, re-engining of a further 8 aircraft and development of an upgraded version prototype (Contract #09) plus avionics upgrades por existing IA-58 Pucará airframes and development of a re-engined version prototype (Contract #10). Further into the future, negotiations with the Ministry of Defense are expected to extend production and services until at least 2014 and comprise a number of prospects presently under evaluation. First among them is producing unspecified aircraft components for Embraer as well as entering a joint-venture with the Brazilian manufacturer to produce their C-390 military cargo aircraft (see December 2009 news briefs & images). Next is a renewed attempt to place Pampa attack trainers in the export market, with talks purportedly under way with Uruguay and Chile. Lastly, FAdeA was appointed as counterpart to Chile's Enaer in a government-to-government agreement which will "stimulate the possibility to develop a basic training aircraft... which will replace Argentine Mentors and Chilean Pillanes".

Valkirya gets exercise season in motion

Mid-April (13 through 21) saw Air Force carrying out the first large-scale exercise of the year. Close to 250 service men and women, including a small Army delegation, gathered in El Plumerillo (Mza.) for a combat search and rescue exercise, the third in the Valkyria series initiated two years ago. After the deployment and preparation phase, where procedures were agreed-to and practice flights were performed, actual operations started on Monday 19. Combat pilot rescue sorties were practiced both inside IV Air Brigade facilities and in undefined mountain sectors near Mendoza City. In addition to CSAR helicopters and air cover aircraft, Air Force special operations, combat intelligence and electronic surveillance were involved in the simulations. Participating aircraft included I Air Brigade C-130 Hercules (TC-56) and F.28 Fellowship (TC-55), II Air Brigade F.27 Friendship (TC-75), III Air Brigade IA-58 Pucará (A-575, A-577, A-582, A-585), IV Air Brigade IA-63 Pampa (E-817, E-819, E-821) and SA-315 Lama (H-63), VII Air Brigade Bell 212 (H-81 + 1) and Hughes 369 (PGH-03, H-40 + 1), IX Air Brigade DHC-6 Twin Otter (T-81, T-86) and Saab 340 (T-33) and Morón Air Base PA-34 Seneca (PG-322?). Army aviation contributed with UH-1H Huey (AE-4x8 + 1) and SA-315 Lama (AE-38x). The most innovative participant, though, was an Electronic Warfare Group Cessna 206 (VR-23) whose existence was publicly revealed for the first time in the exercise. Colonel (VGM) Gerardo Isaac was exercise director.

Improved Twin Otter returns ready for
Patagonic and Antarctic operations

Following a protracted rebuilding process and a 15,000 km ferry flight, Air Force DHC-6 Twin Otter "Tango 85" returned to its home base in Comodoro Rivadavia (Chb.) on 23 April. The aircraft had been dissassembled and shipped in 2008 to Victoria, British Columbia (Canada), where Viking Air was to perform "inspection and overhaul, major 'D' check, installation of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 engines and Hartzell 3 blade props, complete paint, flight testing and certification to return the aircraft to service", as specified in a September 2008 company press release. Completion of work on T-85 is expected to be followed by up to six additional Twin Otters entering Viking Air conversion, though actual work will purportedly be carried out by Quilmes Material Area in Argentina. Avionics improvements have also been incorporated into this particular airframe, most likely imitating those installed on sistership T-86 during refurbishment by Texas Air Services in 2008. Notice that enhancing these aircraft with PT6A-27 engines and modern avionics gets them into the so-called DHC-6-350 variant of the Twin Otter, somewhere between the -300 Series built by de Havilland Canada until 1998 and the -400 currently under development by Viking Air.

Mirage replacement still in planning
while pilots, airframes soldier on

Ministry of Defense and Air Force top brass continue to mull figures, methods and plans to find a replacement for the service's ageing fleet of delta fighters (Mirage, Finger, Mara and Dagger variants). At a ceremony graduating the type's two newest pilots on 8 April, Air Force Secretary General, Brigadier Jorge M. Reta, said Defense continues to "analyze different options to replace the Mirage weapons system" while re-stating that a "decission to replace [those aircraft] has been [effectively] made". But, as it has often been the case in the protracted process to phase out the venerable French and Israeli fighters in Argentine service, Reta would not confirm terms nor dates by pointing out that everything was subject to selection of the replacement aircraft and to matching budget allocations to engineering and operational requirements that will permit purchase not only of the airframes "but everything surrounding [them]". Keeping a political hatch at hand should the process be further delayed, Reta nonetheless said Argentine Mirages are able to "continue flying" and went on to say that "one of the possibilities under [consideration] is selling [the] present aircraft [fleet] to another country".

Air Force first battle anniversary coming up!

As is customary around 1 May every year, Air Force is scheduled to celebrate a new anniversary of its first "true" battle experience, the 1982 Malvinas War. The service will be holding a remembrance mass on Thursday 29 April at Stella Maris chapel in Retiro (C.F.) and an official ceremony on Friday 30 at Morón air base. Service fighter pilots and air transport crews associations will carry out a wreath lying ceremony Saturday 1 in front of Cóndor Building's Gloster Meteor monument. The main course, however, is schedulded between Friday 30 and Sunday 2 at Morón air base, where an open house will be held for the fourth consecutive year (check our 2007 and 2008 coverage in the Pista 18 Files section). Dubbed "Argentina Air Fest", the airshow is expected to demonstrate a variety of Argentine military and civil aircraft (both static and flying), provide access to Morón's air museum and be the first edition featuring Brazilian and Argentine aerobatic teams performing their lively air display routines.

Naval aviation goes "amphibious" supporting marines, commandos

Over 700 marines, six Sea Fleet vessels and a number of Navy aircraft were involved in exercise "Amphibious I" near Bahía Blanca (B.A.). Operations took place in the El Rincón to Baliza Chica sector between 26 and 29 April and involved transport and utility vessels ARA “Hércules”, ARA “Cabo de Hornos”, ARA “Bahía San Blas” and ARA “Punta Alta”, destroyers ARA “Parker” and ARA “Espora”, H-3 Sea King helicopters as well as S-2T Turbo Tracker and Super Etendard aircraft. Demonstrating Navy integrated capabilites, Sea King helos deployed marines and naval commandos from Sea Fleet ships to shore while Turbo Trackers performed ship illumination flights and Super Etendards simulated air attacks both on ships and on landing troops.

Airlift cooperation for Army paratroopers,
Air Force cadets, Navy commandos

As the year got up to full operational speed following the summer break, Air Force airlift and helicopter units started participating in routine training exercises with other components of the Argentine defense complex. In mid-March (17 through 19), a C-130 Hercules airlifter was involved in paratroop training exercises for Córdoba's IV Para Brigade, providing an air platform for initial jumps by 171 students of the basic paratroop course as well as performing 1,150 troop, heavy cargo and supporting elements drops for operational training purposes. Later in the month (23 through 26), a C-130 Hercules aircraft and a Bell 212 helicopter were involved in a combat rescue at sea exercise near Mar del Plata (B.A.) providing survival training for 90 Military Aviation School fourth-year cadets simulating situations they might encounter in their careers. And in mid-April, an F.28 Fellowship and a C-130 deployed 20 navy commandos and supporting equipment from Mar del Plata (B.A.) to Ushuaia (T.F.) for cold weather and mountain combat training. In related news, military aircraft could also have taken part in Army specialized training held March through April in Campo de Mayo (B.A., air assault), Neuquén (Nqn., mountain troops), Misiones (Mns., jungle troops), Córdoba (Cba., commandos) and Junín (B.A., combined arms).

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