The Argentine Air Force (, or simply FAA) is the air force of Argentina and one of three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. In 2018, it had 13,837 military and 6,900 civilian personnel. The FAA commander in chief is Brigadier Gustavo Valverde.
History
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, the predecessor to the Argentine Air Force received various aircraft from France and Italy. In 1922, the was temporarily disbanded, resulting in the formation of ('Aviation Group One') as an operational unit. During 1925, the was reopened, and the ('Observation Group Three') created, with becoming known as 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.
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 and Curtiss P-36 Hawk fighters; Breguet 19 reconnaissance planes; Northrop A-17 and Martin B-10 bombers, North American NA-16 trainers, Focke-Wulf Fw 58 multi-role planes, Junkers Ju 52 transports, and Fairchild 82s. Approximately 80 out of the 230 aircraft present were operated by the navy and included the Supermarine Southampton, Supermarine Walrus, Fairey Seal, Fairey III, Vought O2U Corsair, Consolidated P2Y, Curtiss T-32 Condor II, Douglas Dolphin, and Grumman J2F Duck.
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 11 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 4 January 1945, which also created the Secretary of Aeronautics (Secretaría de Aeronáutica).
At the end of World War II, the Air Force began a process of modernization. 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 brought teams of European engineers to the FMA, then known as 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) and the French engineer Émile Dewoitine.
In 1947, the Air Force purchased 100 Gloster Meteor 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. 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 and Avro Lancaster bombers were also acquired.
The Air Force, with former Luftwaffe officers as consultants and with the European teams that Perón had brought, also began to develop its own aircraft, including the I.Ae. 27 Pulqui I and the I.Ae. 33 Pulqui II jet fighter prototypes. 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 aircraft included the prototypes the I.Ae. 23 trainer, the bi-motor fighter I.Ae. 30 Ñancú, and the assault glider I.Ae. 25 Mañque; and the production twin-engine I.Ae. 35 Huanquero transport, the I. Ae 22 DL advanced trainer, and the I.Ae 24 Calquín twin-engine attack-bomber; as well as rockets, and planes for civilian use (like the FMA 20 El Boyero).
Cold War period
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. Government loyalist Gloster Meteors fought rebel planes that attempted a failed assassination of the President as part of 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 manufacturing operations ceased and most foreign workers left the country, including engineer Kurt Tank who went to work in India. Despite claims that the Argentine Air Force "baptism by fire" took place during the Malvinas War (1982), this was actually the first time it entered combat.
Antarctic support
In 1952, the Argentine Air Force began supplying the country's Antarctic scientific bases using ski-equipped Douglas C-47 aircraft. This mission had previously been entrusted to the Antarctic Task Forces (Fuerzas de Tareas Antárticas, FATA), established by President Juan Domingo Perón.
In 1970, the Air Force incorporated the C-130 Hercules into Antarctic operations. Notably, the presidential aircraft—a Fokker F-28 Fellowship—is reported to have been the first jet to land in Antarctica, in 1973.
Since the 1970s, DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft have also been deployed for Antarctic missions. In October 1973, the Air Force launched Operation Transantar, which included the first trans-Antarctic and three-continent flight in history. A C-130 Hercules flew a route connecting Río Gallegos, Base Marambio, Christchurch (New Zealand), and Canberra (Australia).
Modernization (1960s–1970s)
In the 1960s, new aircraft were incorporated, including the F-86F Sabre jet fighter and the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk mainly used for ground-attack. During the 1970s, the Air Force re-equipped itself with Mirage III interceptors, IAI Dagger multi-role fighters, and C-130 Hercules cargo planes. A counter-insurgency 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 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 initiating Operation Black Buck, in which the Avro Vulcan bomber XM607 attacked military air bases on the islands. The Task Force then sent Sea Harriers to attack positions at Stanley and Goose Green, where the first Argentine casualties occurred.
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 .
On June 13, the A-4 Skyhawks of the Argentine 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, South 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)
Argentina started the development of brand new aircraft, including the FMA IA-63 Pampa, the combat fighter FMA SAIA 90, and the subsequent transformation of the Condor missile into a medium-range ballistic missile.De León, Pablo Gabriel (2017). El proyecto misilístico Cóndor. Su origen, desarrollo y cancelación. Lenguaje Claro. . p. 96. Of these, only the Pampa was successfully developed.
During 1994, President Carlos 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 peacekeeping missions, sending a contingent to Cyprus in 1994 and deploying Bell 212 helicopters to Haiti during 2005.
Early 21st century In early 2005, seventeen brigadiers, including the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Carlos Rohde, were fired by President Néstor Kirchner following a scandal involving drug trafficking through Ezeiza International Airport. 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 transport squadron and maintenance problems for half of the C-130 Hercules fleet.
In August 2010, a contract was signed for two Mi-17E helicopters, 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 Saab Gripen 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.Argentina; Spanish Mirage F-1 deal scrapped due to UK pressure - Dmilt.com, 7 March 2014 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/FC-1's and Chengdu J-10's to Argentina. The two countries have formed a working group to look into the transfer of 14 aircraft."Argentina seeks Kfir deal with Israel" January 13, 2014 Russia had also offered to lease 12 Su-24 strike aircraft to the FAA, but Jane's 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 visited in March 2016, Air Force One was accompanied by US Air Force F-16s because Argentina could only offer Pucarás and Pampas for air defense.