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Argentina's purchase of Korean fighters falls through: UK's arms embargo

Wednesday, June 23rd 2021 - 09:20 UTC
Full article 4 comments
   Defense minister Agustin Rossi, “another display of imperial arrogance” Defense minister Agustin Rossi, “another display of imperial arrogance”
 The South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle, a light training aircraft The South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle, a light training aircraft
No tyres for the Argentine designed and built training model IA063 Pampa No tyres for the Argentine designed and built training model IA063 Pampa

Argentine defense minister Agustín Rossi is furious with the UK for having blocked the purchase deal of several Korean manufactured training jet fighters FA-50 to re-equip the Air Force and which he had anticipated last October. “A new display of imperial arrogance”, Rossi described the incident.

The FA-50 Golden Eagle was developed by the Korean Aerospace Industries in association with the US Lockheed Martin in the nineties, one of the first to be built by the growing South Korean air industry.

However since the model includes six components manufactured in the UK, mainly the pilot's ejection system, apparently Britain appealed to the arms embargo clause on Argentina, standing since the end of the conflict in 1982, and thus blocked the deal.

The UK Strategic Export Controls, as quoted in the Argentine media, and with the purpose of impeding the increase of the country's military capacity states that, “Our general position is that we will continue to refuse licenses for export and trade of goods judged to enhance Argentine military capability”.

Argentine Air Force sources point out that the FA-50 is basically a training aircraft and certainly no match for the Royal Air Force fighters stationed at Mount Pleasant Complex.

Allegedly in 2018, when Mauricio Macri was president, Foreign Office minister for the Americas, Alan Duncan informed Westminster of a degree of flexibility regarding the British arms embargo on Argentina. In exchange Argentina agreed in a joint statement to adopt the appropriate measures to remove all obstacles that limit growth and sustainable development of the Falklands/Malvinas including trade, fisheries, maritime activities and hydrocarbons.

But finally nothing happened, and according to Argentine media, UK also blocked the export of Dunlop tyres for the Argentine designed and built IA063 Pampa, which more importantly limited the training capacity of Air Force pilots. Likewise with the furbished Super Etandards supplied by France in effect they also have ejection seats from UK manufacturer Martin Baker.

Thus following on the collapse of the Korean deal, and with access to western technology impeded, Argentina has now targeted China's fighter FC-1 Xiaolong and the Russian Federation Mig 35, but which do not have the local technical knowledge or logistics support in Argentina, and much less private sector companies capable of maintenance of such aircraft.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • Brit Bob

    Oh dear, how sad, never mind. Have they tried building Fokker Triplanes?

    Jun 23rd, 2021 - 02:15 pm +2
  • RA9212

    Always the same with you. You are worse than a broken record and it seems as you have nothing to do all day. Actually, I know you have nothing to do all day because I have read your repetitive comments in other forums. All this means is that they buy planes from someone else eventually. Argentina has way too many problems right now to worry about jets anyway. As a “Brit” you should know a bit about clownish buffoons running a country. Argentina is being run by crooks and the UK by an incompetent moron. Both countries need to do a better job electing their leaders.

    Jun 23rd, 2021 - 10:13 pm 0
  • Dirk Dikkler

    As I said before they don`t need Jet Fighters, The UK`s 4 Euro-Fighters will be sufficient to deter anybody attacking Argentina.
    You are Welcome.

    Jun 24th, 2021 - 12:20 pm 0
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