MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

U.S. Air Force C-40 landing in Ushuaia fuels scrutiny of Argentina’s southern agenda

The C-40 is not a standard commercial jet. It is a government transport platform based on the Boeing 737, used for official travel and support missions

A U.S. Air Force Boeing C-40 Clipper landed around midday Sunday at Ushuaia’s international airport — officially named “Ushuaia–‘Malvinas’ Argentinas” — an unusual arrival that drew immediate attention from local media and political observers in Tierra del Fuego.

Local reporting based on flight-tracking data said the aircraft operated under the RCH (“Reach”) callsign, commonly associated with the U.S. Air Mobility Command, and arrived after a multi-stop routing that included Buenos Aires before the final leg to Argentina’s far south.

The C-40 is not a standard commercial jet. It is a government transport platform based on the Boeing 737, used for official travel and support missions, including configurations intended for “distinguished visitors,” depending on the variant. With no official readout on passengers or purpose, local coverage speculated the flight could involve senior defense or diplomatic personnel.

Photo: Flightradar24

Political backdrop: a port takeover and Antarctic logistics

The landing comes amid escalating tensions between President Javier Milei’s administration and Tierra del Fuego Governor Gustavo Melella, after the federal government moved to take over the Ushuaia port’s administration for one year. Authorities cited alleged management and infrastructure issues and, crucially, suspected diversion of funds: the head of the relevant national agency said “more than 30%” of revenues were allegedly used to cover provincial expenses despite rules requiring reinvestment in the port. Melella rejected the decision, saying there was “no objective justification” for a move of that scale.

Ushuaia is also central to Argentina’s long-discussed integrated naval base / logistics hub plans tied to operations in the South Atlantic and Antarctica. In April 2024, Milei publicly backed the project in the southern city, calling it a “major logistics hub” aimed at positioning Argentina and the United States as a “gateway” to the white continent, according to national press coverage. U.S. Southern Command has likewise framed its regional posture in terms of strategic infrastructure and access in official visits and statements.

A widening bilateral defense track

Argentina–U.S. defense ties have strengthened in recent years, with combined drills and political signals of closer alignment. Reuters has reported on joint naval exercises and the broader geopolitical context of the relationship in the Southern Cone. Against that backdrop, a government-configured military aircraft arriving in Ushuaia is bound to be read through a strategic lens, even if the specific mission remains unclear.

As of publication, there was no official confirmation of who was aboard the C-40 or whether the visit was linked to the port intervention, the integrated base project, or Antarctic logistics coordination. In Ushuaia, where geography amplifies politics, the absence of answers ensured the landing did not go unnoticed.