MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina purchased several refurbished Mirages and engines for Pucaras

The Dassault Mirages, with which the Argentine Air Force is acquainted following the experience, form the South Atlantic conflict

Argentine reportedly has agreed to purchase several refurbishedDassault-Breguet Super Étendard fighter bombers originally from the French navy. Apparently the Mirages are similar to those Argentine used during the Falklands conflict in 1982 and will be incorporated to the Air Force, as part of an Argentine re-equipment of its military forces.

 Talks with France also involve the possible purchase of engines to power 20 Argentine Pucaras aircraft that are currently grounded.

“The transaction provides excellent value, and under very favorable conditions,” Defense Minister Julio Martinez was quoted during a visit to France. “The Argentine Air Force cannot do without supersonic aircraft. Our pilots must be able to train in modern aircraft.”

However Martinez declined to detail the financial details of a possible deal since “negotiations are not finished”.

The re-equipment program will also include the construction at the Tandanor yards of four patrol vessels, with support from France, Italy and China. The vessels are in addition to four LICA, for cadets' training. currently under construction at the Rio Santiago yard, with Japanese (NKK) supervision and the first to be delivered in early 2018.

The Air Force is also involved in the refurbishing and upgrading of five Hercules C 130, two are ready and another three in the coming months with the support from US experts at the Cordoba aircraft manufacturing plant.

Minister Martinez also acknowledged that the United States has offered to sell Argentina F-16 fighter fighters but the Mirage would better fulfill the needs of the country.
“The operating cost of the F-16 makes them almost prohibitively expensive,” he said.

Argentina had previously been in talks with Israel for their Kfir fighter.