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Argentina purchasing 12 T-6C Texan training aircraft; budget too 'small' for more shopping

Thursday, March 30th 2017 - 09:40 UTC
Full article 9 comments
“For now, we do not have much budget capacity,” Martinez said. “We are only buying training aircraft, and just a few, 12.” “For now, we do not have much budget capacity,” Martinez said. “We are only buying training aircraft, and just a few, 12.”
The Beechcraft T-6C Texan II planes will help replace 24 Embraer EMB-312 Tucanos that have been used in the air force training school for decades. The Beechcraft T-6C Texan II planes will help replace 24 Embraer EMB-312 Tucanos that have been used in the air force training school for decades.

Argentina has few funds available to replace an outdated military fleet beyond buying 12 Beechraft Texan aircraft to train pilots, Defense Minister Julio Martinez admitted. He said actual plans were more modest than those reported by media in Argentina and Brazil in recent months, which said the government was interested in buying war planes from abroad, including from Brazil's Embraer or Mig fighters from Russia.

 “For now, we do not have much budget capacity,” Martinez said after an event commemorating the end of Argentina's latest Antarctica mission. “We are only buying training aircraft, and just a few, 12.”

Argentina's conservative President Mauricio Macri has set an ambitious goal to trim spending and narrow a budget deficit after two terms of free-spending populism under populist leader Cristina Fernandez.

Martinez did not say how much Argentina was spending on the training planes, only acknowledging that the budget was “very small.”

The Beechcraft Texan planes will help replace 24 Embraer EMB-312 Tucanos that have been used in the air force training school for decades. Beechcraft is a subsidiary of Textron Inc making Beechcraft T -6C Texan II planes that are used for training pilots in several countries.

“We will need 12 more, and then we need a lot of other aircraft, medium-sized transport and other kinds of planes,” Martinez said.

A navy spokesman said in December Argentina was also in talks to buy four C-205 aircraft manufactured by Europe's Airbus Group SA.

Asked if Argentina would need new aircraft to achieve Macri's goal of better patrolling borders with Paraguay and Brazil to stop drug flights, Martinez said the training aircraft could potentially also be used for that purpose.

Macri's government is also looking to restart manufacturing at cash-strapped state-run aircraft producer Fadea, which was previously operated by Lockheed Martin and nationalized under Fernandez. Martinez confirmed a report by state-run news agency Telam last week that said Fadea would manufacture three Pampa training planes this year.

Martinez also said Argentina did not have any immediate plans to purchase arms from abroad, denying statements on Twitter from former President Fernandez who said that Argentina sought to buy US$2 billion of “sophisticated weapons of war” from the United States.

“For now no, no arms,” Martinez said. However it is true that president Macri pledged US$ 2bn in several years to reequip the air force and navy, but once funds were available.

Categories: Politics, Argentina.

Top Comments

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  • pgerman

    @Think


    Why is Argentina gpoing to buy Texan II instead of Tucana? Quite simple. The answer is very simple for those who, by profession, know a little about aviation. Simply because the Texan II is considered the best and most modern COIN airplane of the moment. In addition to being 15 years older than the Texan II, both, Tucano and Super Tucano, are already out of mass production so, Argentina should receive planes with preloaded hours.

    These Texan II planes are going to be deployed in the borders where drugg trafficking smugls its drugs.

    I am wondering why every single time this gobernment takes any decission that affects drug traffiking peronists complain....it must be related with the fact that peronists in northern provinces are the main traders with illegal substances. What do you think?

    Mar 30th, 2017 - 11:41 am +4
  • Clyde15

    From your encyclopedic knowledge of the aircraft industry, why is the Tucano a better buy than the Swiss Pilatus derived Texan. Your incisive insight would be welcome.

    Who knows what incentives were offered on this purchase. Anyway, I am sure that the trainees will be happier flying a new aircraft instead of clapped out machines.

    Mar 30th, 2017 - 11:23 am +3
  • Papamoa

    More pie in the sky!!

    Mar 30th, 2017 - 11:33 am +3
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