MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina to purchase Israel fighter jets, according to defense media reports
After almost two years of negotiations and endless speculations surrounding the question of what fighter jet Argentina would go for, Argentine media report that a decision has been made to purchase the IAI Kfir jets to replace the Air Force’s Mirages. According to the report, in Interdefensa Militar Argentina, the decision is currently awaiting final approval from the Cabinet. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesWot? Again!
Nov 11th, 2015 - 08:31 am - Link - Report abuse 0They've been buying Israeli/Russian/Chinese military 'hardware' for years! Yet nothing has ever been delivered!
Given Israel also supplied arms to Argentina during the Falklands War.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 09:08 am - Link - Report abuse 0Perhaps we should repay this gesture by arming the Palestinians.
Not forgetting Argentina is now militarizing the South Atlantic.
Well at least that's what they accuse us of doing, when we rotate our active units.
“Argentina lost most of its Air Force during the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas conflict.” That's not accurate, but they did lose a significant proportion of their air forces. And if the combat radius is 415 nautical miles, they might just be able to reach the Falklands. However, they might not be able to come back...
Nov 11th, 2015 - 09:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0As Ecuador has been flying these since 1982 I wouldn't regard them as an enormous threat to anyone. Their purpose appears to be to keep the AAF in existence to maintain the skills required to operate an airforce.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 09:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0If they wanted a real capability they'd be better off buying F16s
The 4 Typhoons on the FI could take out all 14 from beyond visual range and have 2 long range and 16 short range missiles to spare.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 10:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0Complete waste of money.
It's a 70,s redesign of 60,s aircraft.
No problem with this purchase. As a sovereign nation they have a right to equip their armed forces. What they intend to do with them is a different matter.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 10:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0As an adjunct to this, why do they need tanks ? They are offensive weapons.
I thought that S.A. was a zone of peace and brotherly love
#2Zathras.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 12:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Totally agree. Boycott all Israeli good in the shops. Those theiving sick bullies need to kicked out of Palestine which they stole in 1948 FROM THE PALESTINANS who lived there. Two state solution needed with the Israeli state being back in Russia where they mostly emigrated from. Corbyn should park a sub when he gets in off the coast of Occupied Gaza.
@3 Argentina lost I believe 75 fixed-wing aircraft in the 1982 war, which included a substantial percentage of their attack aircraft, with several others sidelined due to “maintenance kills” or nonfatal damage. The percentages of losses of cargo and support planes were much lower. In the years since, age and attrition have taken a heavy toll and today there are only a handful of airworthy combat aircraft, which are essentially museum pieces now. Which is why you rarely see them above an altitude of 6 metres AGL, the nominal limit for the fixed displays atop concrete pilings.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 12:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The inability of Argentine military aircraft to return to mainland bases after a run to the Falklands is not so much a matter of fuel shortages anymore, even in arguably newer planes. They have far greater and infinitely more fatal concerns now.
The TAM tank is a bit odd!
Nov 11th, 2015 - 01:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The turret of a German leopard I a 60,s design on the hull of an APC a 70,s design.
A bit like a MK1 Golf with Beetle engine.Another pointless wast of money.
@2. Don't think so. Why arm a bunch of terrorists?
Nov 11th, 2015 - 01:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@7. Fooled by the hype, eh? Israel has been there in that area for over 3,000 years. “Palestinians” didn't “appear” until the 60s. The present State of Israel is actually smaller than the original kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The thieving arabs need to be kicked out to Jordan where they were supposed to go. Note that, in 1948, the Jewish people accepted the UN plan. The thieving arabs didn't. And attacked with more than FOUR armies the day after Israel's independence. They lost of course.
I welcome the EU's intention to have all Israeli settlement goods labelled. I can then happily purchase Israeli goods at every opportunity. And do my bit to helping Israelis kick terrorist arabs out of their country.
Incidentally, Corbyn doesn't believe in having British forces overseas. He'd much rather have enemies invade so our forces can fight on British soil. But what would that matter? Left to the EU, there will be no Britain anyway.
Aparently CFK has lodged a complaint to the UN over argentinas purchase of two carriers from Ebay, that have not arrived, she thinks she has been conned,
Nov 11th, 2015 - 01:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0the ships keep sinking, when trying to float them,
and the planes,
well,
toy planes would be much safer, dont you lot think,
Argentina is only a danger to herself,
she is basicly broke , un-governable and corupt.
so relax. have a cuppa .
”The announcement was strongly criticized by the opposition arguing that the contract is to be signed by a government that is leaving (10 December) after twelve years in office, and it would be more appropriate to let the new authorities decide.”
Nov 11th, 2015 - 01:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So no Chinese aircraft. If they buy Kfirs, marginally younger than what they have now, that'll keep peace in the South Atlantic for some time.
And if that purchase means a more modern aircraft cannot be purchased when the next government arrives, because they've wasted money on Kfirs, that' fine.
Still, like all the other deals that were going to materialise, the Kfirs aren't in Argentina yet.
I haven't checked to see if Kfirs have Martin Baker ejection seats.
Being British. Argentina won't want to buy them, but it's the piece of kit the pilots will need most if they try to take on a Typhoon.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/argentina-now-unable-to-afford-new-jets-purchase-suspended/?utm_source=FB&utm_medium=FacebookPage&utm_campaign=social
Nov 11th, 2015 - 02:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina now unable to afford new jets, purchase suspended...ROFL
So they can't even cobble together a deal to buy junk from a nation desperate to trade with anyone.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 02:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Maybe it is time for Argentina to accept that on its current defence budget there are only somethings it can do.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 04:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Concentrate on achievable capabilities like fisheries protection and mountain rescue, emergency disaster relief to any part of Argentina.
It is not as if anyone is going to attack them, having fast jets parked on the ground that can’t be flown for whatever reason, isn’t going to deter anyone anyway.
@10 Conqueror
And there’s me thinking Jews and Arabs both claim descent from Abraham.
I think you’ll find the Palestinian Arabs have been around as long as the Jews have, never mind Israel.
After all, who do you think was INSIDE the walls of Jericho when Joshua arrived, trashed the place and implanted the Jewish population?
rotting roadkill, here is your check list:
Nov 11th, 2015 - 04:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Ejection
Nato FOF transponder
Global remote kill switch
Guns
Missles
Nav spoof
EMR shielding
White flags
Life raft
lol
@15. A quote.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 04:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0”serving as the private estate of Alexander the Great between 336 and 323 BCE after his conquest of the region. In the middle of the 2nd century BCE Jericho was under Hellenistic rule of the Seleucid Empire, when the Syrian General Bacchides built a number of forts to strengthen the defences of the area around Jericho against the revolt by the Macabees.[29] One of these forts, built at the entrance to Wadi Qelt, was later refortified by Herod the Great, who named it Kypros after his mother.
The city came to be ruled by the Hasmoneans, a dynasty descending from a priestly group (kohanim) from the Tribe of Levi, following the success of the Maccabean Revolt, and remained such until the Roman influence over the area brought Herod to claim the Hasmonean throne of Judea.“
Notice any ”palestinians”? Just thieving arab crap. Exterminate the lot.
I am sure the Israelis know that The Dark Country is broke and in any event NEVER pay for anything if they can possibly arrange it.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 06:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Israelis are not stupid, therefore this is just TMBOA blowing smoke out of her cuelo.
@15
Nov 11th, 2015 - 06:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Concentrate on achievable capabilities like fisheries protection and mountain rescue, emergency disaster relief to any part of Argentina”? This is partially true but it is also applicable to Chile (with fires every single summer), Brazil, Peru and also FI with regular ER and sea rescue operations.
“It is not as if anyone is going to attack them, having fast jets parked on the ground that can’t be flown for whatever reason, isn’t going to deter anyone anyway”....well...well...Chile operates F-16, Brazil operates Mirage 2000, Peru operates MIG-29 and the RAF operates Typhoons. I know that you believe that “nobody is going to attack its neighbour”. If so...what's the point of operating F-16, Mirages 2000, MIG-29 and Typhoons?
As long as there are F-16, Typhoons, Mirages and MIG-29 in the region Argentina must operates something similar to keep the balance of the region.To protect its backs and its front.....Having a reasonable armed Argentina will make the region more stable.
Argentina has succesfully operated militar equipment from some western countries such as Israel, Germany and France. It's time to go back to them for some material to avoid “fantasies” from some of our neighbour leaders. You know: “be prepare for war to keep the peace”.
@ 19 pgerman
Nov 11th, 2015 - 08:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0All true, except “make the region more stable”.
My point is that Argentina cannot reasonably expect to have these capabilities, given the current level of spending.
If you want to spend more, then I have no doubt it is more than possible for Argentina to “up its capabilities”.
I didn’t say “nobody is going to attack its neighbour”.
I said, I don’t believe anyone is going to attack Argentina.
I actually don’t think that Argentina is in any danger of being attacked, from any direction, although sometimes I do think the Paraguayans are just biding their time.
@20
Nov 11th, 2015 - 08:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Having a reasonable disuasive capability is not only for “not being attacked”. It is also related with diplomatic capability.
With the current budget, the one of CKF governement, I really doubt the most simple piece of equipment would be able to operate....
The next government will have to gradually increase it, firstly, to make the current material works. Logistics, ER and the fight against drug traffic must have priority. A second stage might be the defense against international threats. In the meanwhile the country will be defenseless
So that means the UK is free to sell Tyhoons to Iran.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 08:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The FALKLANDERS are biding their time methinks.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 09:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0As a previous poster has said this deal is now cancelled.$60 million was far to expensive apparently.
Nov 11th, 2015 - 09:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Also the planed TAM tank upgrade is on hold,Elbit delivered the first upgraded vehicle in 2013 but no more have been converted due to a lack of funds.
@21 pgerman
Nov 11th, 2015 - 09:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You need to be able to defend your country against all internal and external threats, no one can deny you that right.
The problem is Argentina tries to treat Las Malvinas as “internal” instead of “external”.
That is how wars start.
@10
Nov 12th, 2015 - 03:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0Shoot me now. I agree with Conqueror . Holly crap.
@22 Fair point...but one cant help thinking that the UK is secretly encouraging Israel to sell antiquated aircraft to Argentina in order to burn up Argentine military money. If Argies buy the Kfirs they're commuting to a purchase and ties up their money for decades with unthreatening aircraft.
Nov 12th, 2015 - 03:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0If you look at the flip side, Israel is in a very precarious position with US military and economic intervention in the middle east reducing. To weaken support of the UK now would be very precarious right now for Israel.
Better to sell Argentina agreed junk and make money out of it with UK agreement.
I hope Im right!
@19 pgerman
Nov 12th, 2015 - 06:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0It's strange, but if you look at the history of South America in the 20th century, the main country that could've been considered a threat to other countries there WAS Argentina, with it's imperialist colonial expansionist ambitions.
Fortunately for the rest of South America Argentina made a fatal mistake of trying to steal British Sovereign territory and got their arses handed to them. This destroyed their military capability and made the region far more secure.
I doubt many countries in South America, especially those that share a land border with Argentina, are particularly upset over Argentina's military inadequacies. In fact they probably celebrate the fact, as they know that Argentina illegally claims vast quantities of land in Chile, Brazil, (all of) Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, under the same 'territorial integrity' lie that they use against the Falkland Islands.
So it is in the interests of all of South America for Argentina to remain militarily weak, so therefore the region remains stable.
All a heavily armed Argentina would be is unstable, and a threat to its neighbours.
Don't forget that most of the weaponry that they've been trying to buy (which included heavy bombers - an offensive weapon, not defensive) would be more of a threat to Chile, Brazil etc... than it would be to the UK.
land based aster 30 missile radar system would do the trick! argentine airforce wiped out in a flick of a switch.....goodnight airforce......again!
Nov 12th, 2015 - 07:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0FLADS missiles will replace Rapier 2000 on the FI (Naval version Sea acceptor)range about 24km but similar to Aster 30 it only needs to be programmed by a search radar,full fire and forget,multiple engagement capable.
Nov 12th, 2015 - 09:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0Should the 33 Fighting Hawks attempt to attack the FI without airborne refuelling capability it's a suicide mission.
Even with its suicide.
They aren't that stupid are they!
@ 10 Agree
Nov 12th, 2015 - 10:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0@ 26 me too !
Relax guys, nothing will happen. Decision was `put on hold´ until further notice.
Kfir´s would´ve being a good stop gap back in the 90s, now they are nothing but a highly refurbished 70s fighters.
@28
Nov 12th, 2015 - 12:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I would suggest that you read and learn history before writing about South America territorial disputes. Both Paraguay and Uruguay were part of the very same political division (Vice-royalty) of the Spanish Empire. As a result the creation of Paraguay and Uruguay as new and different political institutions were conflictive ones. It is not very difficult to understand unles you have bad will.
By the way, Argentina was involved in one single militar conflict in the last 100 years while it is extremely difficult to count the number of wars that UK took part in the very same period of time. In addition, after 1982 Argentina didn't take part in any other war but the UK took part in almost three new wars.....so who is a theat?...Do you remember the official declaration of the Uruguayan Govenrment about the militar presence of the Uk in the region?
Well I hope you guys are happy with yourselves,
Nov 12th, 2015 - 01:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Upsetting poor CFK yesterday and left her crying into her plastic begging bowl,
Sobbing on the phone to the UN,
Those nasty nasty brits on mercopress sob sob,
They have destroyed my last chance at Victory,
Now I cant buy these fighters because we cant afford them, so it will now fall to the next government and take years to get into service, and they will be 50 years old by then,
Nasty nasty brits, sob sob,
They are upsetting us, we have rights you know,
Nasty brits upsetting the south Atlantic,
Argentina now unable to afford new jets, purchase suspended
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/argentina-now-unable-to-afford-new-jets-purchase-suspended/
Argentine defence minister Agustin Rossi has announced that negotiations for new jets are under way, but will be left to the next government to purchase.
Rossi’s decision comes only a day after the Argentine government announced the purchase
Cough cough.
.
Well, they are leaving everything else for the next Government to pay for, why should this be any different.
Nov 12th, 2015 - 06:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 034 Pugol-H
Nov 12th, 2015 - 08:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Well, they are leaving everything else for the next Government to pay for”
Ah,ha!! But are they going to leave the next Government anything to pay WITH?
I'm guessing that those in the know ( Yes, you too ) already know the answer to that one.
chuckle, chuckle
@32
Nov 12th, 2015 - 08:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“but the UK took part in almost three new wars.....so who is a theat?...”
Those wars weren't against Argentina, so clearly the UK is not a threat to Argentina.
The difference between Argentina and the UK, is that Argentina would love to be a colonial power and fight the Brits but can't, whilst the Brits could annihilate Argentina now but choose not to, because Argentina has not attacked the Brits.
The one war Argentina fought was entirely it's own fault.
Rather than obey Resolution 502, withdraw before any fighting and possibly achieve a shared flag scenario, the Argentines decided to fight and lose everything in a war they started.
Because Argentina routinely lie and are unpredictable, there have to be defences on the Falklands to prevent a repeat of 1982.
If Argentina don't like it, they should not have started the war in 1982. They did not tell the UK they were going to invade, so since then the UK have no option but to base forces in the Falklands because the Argentines are born liars (called native cunning but results in failure).
@35 toooldtodieyoung
Nov 13th, 2015 - 05:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0No doubt if Scioli is elected the subsequent economic BOOOM, will be so big that the increase in revenues will/would have, covered all expenditures many times over.
Returning Argentina to the “Bolivarian land of milk and honey” status.
No doubt at all.
@37 “the subsequent economic BOOOM” will probably be quieter than the sonic boom of the proposed jets.
Nov 14th, 2015 - 05:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0pgerman tries to sell the idea, that “Argentina was involved in one single militar conflict in the last 100 years”.
Nov 15th, 2015 - 05:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0Please do tell us what was “Operation Soberanía” (1978) all about?
The Argentine plan in 1982 included the military occupation of the disputed islands at the Beagle channel after the invasion of the Falklands, as stated by Brigadier Basilio Lami Dozo, chief of the Argentine Air Force during the Falklands war, in an interview with the Argentine magazine Perfil: L.F. Galtieri said: Chile “has to know that what we are doing now, because they will be the next in turn.. ” “Después de Malvinas, iban a atacar a Chile”.
So very peaceful, ain't it?
The only reason why Argentina hasn't started wars after 1982 is that it received a severe beating in the Falklands War.
@39 That is correct. In fact Argentina (Videla) actually did declare a state of war against Chile in December 1978 as Argentina was sending an invasion fleet to attack and occupy part of southernmost Chile. That is the reason you see (still see) the Chilean defensive minefields down here. Argentine troops made several armed incursions across the frontiers. Argentina was negotiating secret pacts to try to get Bolivia and Peru to also attack Chile as part of the deal. But on 21 Dec 1978 when the Argentine amphibious force attempted to attack the Chilean fleet and land troops in Chile, it was delayed by weather and shortly thereafter an arbitration team from the Vatican arrived and convinced Videla to negotiate. Argentina's aggression came about after it rejected an earlier arbitration that recognised the three Beagle Channel islands (Picton, Lennox, Nueva) as Chilean territory.
Nov 15th, 2015 - 12:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It was in everyone's best interest that Argentina was roundly defeated in the Falklands.
“Another transaction took place over the development of fighter aircraft IA-63 Pampa, which will receive Elbit Systems avionics.”
Nov 15th, 2015 - 01:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So a training aircraft is now a fighter-buy as many of these as you like Argentina.
Our pilots won't object and your people will have jobs. And those Russian ejection seats will no doubt tell your pilots how much their lives are valued by your government.
The “Fábrica Argentina de Aviones” that was supposed to produce the Pampas was turned over to the Kirchnerist La Cámpora, with predictable results: they haven't produced a single aircraft. They ran a US$544 million deficit for 2014 and made a few token parts and they have characteristically stiffed their suppliers . But it looks as though they have been hiring lots of “administrative” personnel which of course are just sops for the Camporistas. Peronist corruption at its usual.
Nov 15th, 2015 - 02:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If you look at the specifications and performance for the Pampa series, no serious combat pilot would fly one. They are the go-karts of the aircraft world.
Argentina, such potential.
Nov 16th, 2015 - 11:24 am - Link - Report abuse 0Run by an incompetent shower of misfits.
lts time for us to rescue the Argentine entrepreneurs & the workers.
l am sure that we would be greeted as liberators.
We could treat the country as a corporation, designed to make a profit.
For a fee, of course! l suggest 5%.
It would give a bit of stability & put money in the population's pockets.
But you would have to work, no handouts.
We need new ideas not aeroplanes war. I vote Cambiemos. Still plenty idiotas here, plenty lazy, plenty corruptions. Let us hope.
Nov 16th, 2015 - 04:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The UK will return the Malvinas within the next 25 years.
Nov 17th, 2015 - 12:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0The Argentina will return Sta Cruz within the next 25 years.
Nov 17th, 2015 - 08:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina will cease to exist within the next 25 years.
Nov 17th, 2015 - 10:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0It will be a colony of the Peoples Republic of China.
It already is, sort of.
#45
Nov 17th, 2015 - 04:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You probably will not be here in 25 years so how will you know?
@46
Nov 19th, 2015 - 08:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Beat me to it this time.
@45
Within 25 years Argentina will get a replacement for its recently retired Mirages.
No doubt the Pampa 4 or Pamper 5 will replace everything, and a standard Argentine documentary=a cartoon, will depict it outfighting the Typhoons, outrunning Aster missiles and returning sucessfully to runways bisected by cruise missile/storm shadow strikes.
The Pamper in the cartoon will have a pilot and a 9 year old schoolboy in the back.
Right?
The latest issue of Air Forces Monthly have an article about the disbandment of the Mirage squadron written by Argentine Air force Sources. Interesting if not a bit one-sided in it's accomplishments.
Nov 19th, 2015 - 10:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!