One of the ten fighter bombers donated by Peru to Argentina during the 1982 South Atlantic conflict is being exhibited in the Velez Sarsfield Plaza, at the heart of Cordoba City, as part of the 105 anniversary celebrations of the Argentine Air Force.
Argentine defense minister Julio Martinez criticized the previous government policies towards the Armed Forces saying that during the Falklands/Malvinas conflict the country lost 72 aircraft, but under the administrations of Nestor and Cristina Kirchner over a hundred went out of service or were decommissioned.
President Mauricio Macri visited the El Palomar Air Base, to inspect the first Hercules C-130 aircraft to undergo a modernisation process entirely in the country. During his tour of the base, Macri spoke with Air Force aviators who operate these aircraft in humanitarian missions worldwide.
Argentina's Air Force commemorated with a parade and display of force the 35th anniversary of its ''Baptism of Fire”, which occurred on May first 1982 when Argentine fighters completed over 50 sorties in an attempt to repeal the British Task Force sent to recover the Malvinas Islands.
Textron Aviation’s Beechcraft has received an US$88.2 million contract to supply the Argentina Air Force with T-6 aircraft. The U.S. Air Force contract calls for Beechcraft to supply four T-6C airplanes as well as maintenance, pilot training and interim contractor support for maintenance.
Argentina has few funds available to replace an outdated military fleet beyond buying 12 Beechraft Texan aircraft to train pilots, Defense Minister Julio Martinez admitted.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.
The dismal state of the Argentine armed forces was revealed by Defense minister Julio Martínez who claimed that the ten/twelve Kirchner years downed more Air Force aircraft than those lost during the South Atlantic conflict in 1982.
Argentina is in the process of purchasing 24 T6-C Texan II training aircraft from the United States, which will also be employed in border control and combating drugs. Apparently the operation has been approved by the US Defense Department and was one of several good news Secretary of State brought last week when he visited Buenos Aires.
Argentina's Defense minister Julio Martínez headed the Air Force's 34th baptism of fire anniversary which took place on May first 1982 during the South Atlantic conflict. The Sunday event at the V Air Brigade in Villa Reynolds, province of San Luis, was also attended by government and military officials, Malvinas veterans and Air Force Chief of Staff Brigadier Major Enrique Victor Amrein.
The number three man in the Argentine Air Force refused to sign the purchase of 14 Israeli refurbished Kfir fighter jets, an operation involving 360 million dollars, and which supposedly would have given the depleted service a breath of fresh air.