MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Air Force Saab 340 makes new successful flight to Antarctica

It was the second Antarctic achievement for the Saab 340 this year

An Argentine Air Force (FAA) Saab 340 turboprop twin-engined aircraft made a successful flight to the Petrel Base in Antarctica on Saturday, thus proving once again the model's adaptability to the region.

 This mission came after the one in April to the Marambio base whereby a less expensive and almost equally fast alternative to the larger and more fuel-consuming four-engined Hercules C-130 is being developed for whenever time is of the essence to wait for Navy ships to reach the area.

“For the first time in history, an aircraft landed at the Petrel Antarctic Base. The Argentine Air Force, by means of the SAAB-340 Weapon System, inaugurated the recently-built runway of this unit,” the FAA wrote on X. “The success of the mission is the result of meticulous planning and rigorous training backed by the vast experience of our Institution's personnel,” it added.

“A milestone in the history of Argentina in Antarctica! The Argentine Air Force inaugurated the landing strip at Petrel Base. Let's go Argentina! As our President Javier Milei says: VLLC!,” said Defense Minister Luis Petri. The acronym stands for “Viva La Libertad, Carajo!” (Long live Freedom, Dammit!)

The Petrel Antarctic Base is a scientific station settled by the Argentine Navy on Jan. 18, 1952, at the foot of the Rosamaría glacier in the Petrel roadstead, Punta Bajos of Cape Welchness of Dundee Island in the Joinville Archipelago. The Petrel Base is located on rocks 18 meters above sea level, at coordinates 63° 28′ S and 56° 17′ W. It operated as a permanent settlement until 1978 following a fire in 1974.

In 2013, it was decided to rebuild it given its geographical advantages over Marambio. In 2021, the Argentine government announced a plan to permanently reactivate it, including the construction of two runways, 1,800 and 1,300 meters long to improve logistics in Antarctica.

With the Saab 340, the Argentine Joint Antarctic Command (COCOANTAR) now has a cost-effective option to supply the base with food, medical equipment, fuel, and clothing, among other items.

The Swedish-built Saab 340 features the competitive advantage that it does not need any extra work because it has been designed to operate in extremely cold weather. It can also take off and land on unpaved runways, including those made of permafrost, which consists of a layer of permanently frozen soil.