MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina's plans to sell training aircrafts

Aircraft manufacturer Lockheed-Martin from Argentina has plans to sell its training fighter model Pampa AT 63 to Chile, Israel and Bolivia revealed the president of the company Alberto Buthet in an interview published in Clarin Sunday's edition.

If any of the options really becomes a formal operation it would be the first major military equipment export under the administration of President Nestor Kirchner who took office in May 2003.

Argentine diplomatic sources quoted by Clarin said that the Kirchner administration does not object to the sale of aircrafts to Chile or Bolivia since they would be training units. And regarding Israel, "we're making the same offer, same conditions, to all Middle East countries", added the sources.

The Pampa AT 63 is an advanced double seat training aircraft which can be armed with light weapons for combat missions.

According to Clarin, the Kirchner administration supports the export program but would like the US Lockheed-Martin subsidiary to refurbish twelve IA 63 units from the Argentine Air Force plus delivering six new AT 63 models.

The AT 63 model was successfully presented last year at Santiago's International Aerospace Fair. The Chilean Air Force has plans to purchase 36 training aircrafts and is expected to begin an international bidding process in the coming weeks.

Israel similarly last April said it was interested in 18 to 24 training aircrafts of different types and is inviting companies to bid for the package. Argentina was handed the information and is preparing a presentation, said Alberto Buthet.

Bolivia's interest emerged after a Pampas AT 63 review and demonstration which had among its viewers President Evo Morales.

Lockheed-Martin Argentina last year won a contract to upgrade several A4 Skyhawks from the Brazilian Navy and before that had refurbished a wing of similar A4s which Argentina had purchased from United States in the nineties.