MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

More budget and aircrafts promise for Argentine Air Force

Argentina's Defence Minister Garre

Argentina's Defence Minister announced on Thursday a budget boost and promised a significant increase in the number of aircraft for the Air Force during the celebration of Malvinas War Fire Baptism Day.

"The budget boost will represent a 54% increase over 2007, for training and for the recovery of Air Force equipment and material", said Defence minister Nilda Garré. Addressing the Air Force Chief of Staff, officers and personnel Ms Garré recalled not only the courage but also the capability and skill of Argentine pilots and combatants during the Falklands war. It was precisely on May first 1982 that the Argentine Air Force became involved for the first time ever in combat with the British Task Force sent to recover the Falklands Islands. "Argentine Air Force pilots inflicted the Royal Navy the greatest damage in combat since the Second World War", added Garré. The minister pointed out that "Malvinas was also evidence of the lack of organization and joint functioning of the Argentine Armed Forces which led to serious mistakes at the moment of coordinated military operations". And the price paid in any war "is always very high and is measured in human lives". Garré then praised Mr. and Mrs. Kirchner administrations saying that they have created the institutional foundations for the reorganization of the Armed Forces and planning defense alternatives. "This included creating the Operational Command for the Armed Forces and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and amending its structures". More specifically on equipment and material Garre promised that the Air Force "this year will have a display of operational aircrafts significantly greater than in previous years". "We are recovering the workshops and technical support for Air Brigades I, II and IX as well as material recovery in Rio Cuarto, Quilmes and logistics in Cordoba and El Palomar. All have approved budgets and are on course", said Garre. She also revealed that Argentina together with "friendly countries" from the region was in the process of an ambitious initiative to recover the manufacturing capacity of the Cordoba plant. Finally she said that in the pursuit of greater efficiency and transparency the Ministry was in the process of creating a Defence Logistic Agency.