Military unit
The
Argentine Naval Aviation
(
Spanish
:
Comando de la Aviacion Naval Argentina
,
COAN
) is the
naval aviation
branch of the
Argentine Navy
and one of its four operational commands. Argentina, along with
Brazil
is one of two South American countries to have operated two
aircraft carriers
.
The acronym
CANA
is often used in English language bibliographies,
[2]
[3]
but is not correct Spanish usage.
History
[
edit
]
Formation and World Wars
[
edit
]
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needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
May 2014
)
|
COAN's origin can be traced to 22 October 1912 when a navy officer, Lt Melchor Escola, graduated as a pilot. On 11 February 1916 the naval air station school
Fuerte Barragan
was created near
La Plata
and the anniversary of this is marked as Naval Aviation Day. In September 1917 three naval lieutenants were sent to the US
Naval Air Station Pensacola
from which they were subsequently deployed to Europe to participate in World War I.
[
citation needed
]
COAN was officially established on 17 October 1919 as the Naval Air Service. Over the following years, the COAN operated a variety of aircraft, mainly advanced trainer types imported from the USA including the
North American AT-6
, the
Beechcraft AT-11
and the
Consolidated PBY Catalina
.
Sikorsky S-51
helicopters joined the service shortly after the war in 1949.
Early combat operations
[
edit
]
The COAN received a baptism by fire on 16 June 1955 when naval airplanes took part in the
bombing of Plaza de Mayo
. Three aircraft were shot down: one by an
Argentine Air Force
Gloster Meteor
in air-to-air combat and two others by anti-aircraft guns. A
Grumman J2F
was shot down over the town of Saavedra on 18 September that year.
Navy pilots would see combat again during 1962?63 internal
military
fighting between factions known as
Azules y colorados
(blue and reds), culminating in the
1963 Argentine Navy Revolt
in which Navy
F9F Panthers
and
F4U Corsairs
bombed Argentine Army tanks in defense of the Navy base of Punta Indio.
A carrier navy
[
edit
]
A great change came into effect when the Navy received its first aircraft carrier,
ARA
Independencia
, in 1959. At the time, her aircraft inventory included the
F4U Corsair
,
SNJ-5Cs Texan
and
Grumman S2F-1 (S-2A) Trackers
. The Navy also had
F9F Panther
and
F9F Cougar
jets but the carrier was not suitable for operating them, although they were embarked on the carrier during their delivery voyage from the United States to Argentina. The Cougar was the first jet to break the sound barrier in Argentina.
[4]
These jets would be involved in the general mobilization during the
1965 border dispute
between
Argentina and Chile
but no combat occurred.
The naval training force received
T-28 Trojans
,
T-34 Mentors
and
Aermacchi MB-326
jets which would be later reinforced with the most powerful variant
MB-339
.
More aircraft entered service during the 1960s, including the
C-47 Dakota
[5]
(which were extensively used in
Antarctica
including the first national landing on the
South Pole
made in 1962 by Captain Hermes Quijada who departed from
Ellsworth Station
[6]
),
Sikorsky S-55
helicopters and shore based aircraft
P-2 Neptunes
for
maritime patrol
duties.
In 1969 the Navy received her second carrier,
ARA
25 de Mayo
, from the Netherlands. On her voyage home, the British company
Hawker Siddeley
demonstrated its
Harrier GR1
but the Argentines opted for the
A-4Q Skyhawk
instead. More helicopters were incorporated into the new carrier, the
Alouette III
and the
SH-3 Sea King
, and also the more advanced S-2E variant of the Tracker. Cargo planes
Fokker F-28
and
L-188 Electra
modified for maritime patrol were also added.
The 1970s surface fleet modernization plan included the purchase of
British destroyers
with their complement of
Westland Sea Lynx
helicopters but their use would be affected by the upcoming events.
In 1972 aircraft changed the word
Naval
to
Armada
painted on them.
pictorial
The military junta
[
edit
]
In 1976, a
Military Junta
took power in Argentina and initiated a state-sponsored campaign of violence known as the
Dirty War
. Naval aviators were used to toss political prisoners (the "disappeared") into the
River Plate
, in the infamous
Death flights
.
[7]
In 1978, tension with Chile reached the highest point when the Argentine junta initiated
Operation Soberania
. The war was avoided at the last minute by the intervention of pope
John Paul II
. By 1982, in order to maintain power by diverting public attention from the nation's poor economic performance and exploiting the long-standing feelings of the Argentines towards the
Falkland Islands
(
Spanish
:
Islas Malvinas
) the
Junta
ordered an invasion and triggered the ten-week-long
Falklands War
(Spanish:
Guerra de las Malvinas
).
[
citation needed
]
Falklands War
[
edit
]
The naval aviation, suffering an
arms embargo
since 1978 by US President
Jimmy Carter
for human rights abuses,
[n 1]
was in the middle of the process of replacing their
A-4Q Skyhawks
with French-built
Dassault-Breguet Super Etendards
. The planes used
AM39 Exocet
anti-shipping missiles, also purchased from France, to sink the
Royal Navy
's
HMS
Sheffield
and the support ship
Atlantic Conveyor
. The older A-4Qs also had a role, destroying
HMS
Ardent
.
[8]
On the eve of war the Argentine carrier
ARA
Veinticinco de Mayo
attempted to launch a wave of A-4Q Skyhawk jets against the
Royal Navy
Task Force after her S-2 Trackers detected the British fleet. However, what might have been the first battle between aircraft carriers since World War II did not occur, as poor winds prevented the heavily loaded jets from taking off.
[n 2]
After the British nuclear-powered submarine
HMS
Conqueror
sank the cruiser
ARA
General Belgrano
, the carrier returned to port for safety and her Skyhawks began their attacks from mainland Argentina instead.
Navy's
T-34s
and
MB-339s
, along with Air Force's
Pucaras
, were the only combat aircraft based on the islands and an
MB-339
was the first aircraft to engage the British landing force during the
Battle of San Carlos
.
[
citation needed
]
During the war the last two
SP-2H Neptunes
were retired due to airframe attrition and replaced with two leased Brazilian
EMB 111 Bandeirantes
.
[9]
Four naval aviators died in the war.
[n 3]
Fourteen aircraft were lost, to various causes.
Post war
[
edit
]
In 1983,
democracy
was restored in Argentina and despite stricter military budgets, COAN was able to modernize with the lifting of arms embargoes.
P-3 Orions
and modified
Beechcraft Super King Air
were incorporated and
Eurocopter Fennecs
were bought as the new surface fleet embarked helicopter. New-built Agusta
SH-3 Sea Kings
for
Antarctica
arrived and
UH-1H
helicopters were assigned to the naval aviation to support the
Argentine Marines
. The navy also received
Brazilian
MB-326 Xavantes to replace their lost MB-339s.
The 1980s saw the last deployments of
ARA
25 de Mayo
: the
Dassault-Breguet Super Etendards
and the
Israeli
upgraded
S-2T Turbo Trackers
performed qualifications on her until the ship's final retirement.
Video
Argentina was the only South American country to send warships, including embarked
Alouette IIIs
and cargo planes to the 1991
Gulf War
under
UN
mandate. In 1998, Argentina was granted
Major Non-NATO ally
status by United States President
Bill Clinton
.
[10]
Present day
[
edit
]
Since 2001, due to the lack of an aircraft carrier, pilot qualification tests took place on the Brazilian Navy carrier
Sao Paulo
[11]
and/or touch-and-go landings on
US Navy
carriers when they are in transit within Argentine coastal waters for
Gringo-Gaucho
manoeuvres.
[12]
On 2008 the United States transferred four Sea King helicopters to replace the two lost in the fire of the icebreaker
ARA
Almirante Irizar
.
[13]
As of 2012
[update]
a lack of funds for training and maintenance has left the Navy in poor condition. In particular their aircraft are dependent on a steady supply of foreign-made spares, which has been reduced by currency controls and import restrictions ? for example the Fokker F-28 transports are grounded because of spares getting stuck in customs.
[14]
Argentina hoped to upgrade ten of its eleven remaining Super Etendard to the latest Super Etendard Modernise (SEM) standard using equipment from aircraft retired by France. This came into doubt due to their retirement from French service and because relations with France cooled after the UK intervened to block the sale of Spanish Mirage F1s to the Argentine Air Force.
[15]
Five refurbished Super Etendard aircraft were finally delivered to the Navy from France in 2019. However, these aircraft awaited the delivery of key spare parts.
[16]
In 2021 it was reported that the return of these aircraft to an operational configuration was also encountering problems based on the fact that the ejector seats of the aircraft were the MK6, manufactured by Martin Baker in the UK.
[17]
[18]
In early 2022, it was reported that the spare parts problem remained unresolved and the aircraft remained in storage.
[19]
As of the end of 2022, a potential solution to the problem of operationalizing the ejection seat system on the aircraft was being explored with the American company Task Aerospace. However, no decision had been taken as to whether the proposed solution would be pursued.
[20]
In May 2023 it was initially reported that the aircraft would not be brought into service because of the inability to obtain parts for the Mk 6 ejection seat and due to France's inability to provide other spare parts for the aging aircraft.
[21]
However, the Argentine Navy subsequently issued denials and stated that the process of bringing the aircraft into service had not been abandoned.
[22]
In early 2024, it was reported that the Navy was still working to restore at least two of the aircraft to flying condition.
[23]
Argentina was working on a procurement of four P-3C Orion aircraft from US Navy surplus stocks. Argentina's current fleet of P-3B's are non operational. The package deal was approved in September 2019. The US State Department has cleared the transaction of $78.03m to be carried out as part of a foreign military sale. It includes the delivery of related equipment and services. Argentina was to receive four turboprop engines for the aircraft and an additional four turboprop engines. It was also to receive communications and radar equipment, Infrared/Electro-optic equipment, and aviation life support systems. The US was to provide spares plus repairs, aircraft depot maintenance, and logistical support. Contractors for the deal include Logistic Services International, Lockheed Martin, Rockwell Collins and Eagle Systems. These newer Orions were to be up to the latest Orion standard, and provide Argentina with a much needed boost in anti-submarine and maritime surveillance missions.
[24]
However, in the aftermath of the inauguration of Alberto Fernandez as president in December 2019, the deal was cancelled with the Navy instead being compelled to refurbish its older P-3B fleet.
[25]
[26]
[27]
In 2021, it was reported that the final Grumman Tracker aircraft flew for the last time leaving Argentine fixed-wing naval aviation without an anti-submarine capability, unless and until another option is found.
[28]
However, other reports suggested that at as of 2022 and 2023 at least one S-2T was still flying in the maritime surveillance role
[29]
[30]
and efforts were underway to recover the flying condition of two of these aircraft given the overall lack of maritime surveillance capabilities.
[31]
In June 2022 it was reported that Argentina was seeking to potentially revive the project to purchase the P-3C from the United States since none of the former P-3Bs were operational.
[32]
However, it was also reported that even if the deal went ahead it would still take time to bring the ex-US Navy P-3Cs back into flying condition in the United States.
[33]
As a result, work on the P-3B upgrade continued even though, in December 2022, it was reported that the refurbishment of the P-3B was proceeding slower than anticipated and while a revised delivery date of the first upgraded P-3B had been projected for September 2023, that schedule might now face delays.
[34]
In February 2023 it was reported that Argentina was negotiating with Norway to purchase three or four of its surplus P-3Cs.
[35]
In September 2023, Argentina agreed to buy 3x P-3C ASW/ASuW and 1x P-3N
search and rescue
aircraft from Norway, the first were to arrive at
Trelew Almirante Zar Naval Air Base
in October 2023.
[36]
However, by years end the aircraft had not been delivered due to an Argentine failure to make the required payment.
[37]
In March 2024, it was reported that the initial payments had been made. Delivery of the first aircraft was now hoped for in 2024, with the remaining aircraft to follow in 2025.
[38]
In 2022, the Navy took additional measures to try to retain a viable helicopter fleet by acquiring two additional
Sea King helicopters
[39]
in order to increase overall numbers of operational aircraft of this type. Early in 2023, it was reported that the Navy was also interested in the potential acquisition of additional surplus helicopters from Canada, though it remained to be seen whether such a purchase would be realized.
[40]
Air bases
[
edit
]
COAN has 5 main airbases ( Spanish:
Base Aeronaval
(BAN) ):
Structure
[
edit
]
Fuerza Aeronaval 1 (Naval Aviation Force 1)
[
edit
]
The
Fuerza Aeronaval 1
(FAE1) is based at
Punta Indio Naval Air Base
, near
La Plata
, Buenos Aires.
Fuerza Aeronaval 2 (Naval Aviation Force 2)
[
edit
]
The
Fuerza Aeronaval 2
(FAE2) is based at
navy airbase Comandante Espora
, near
Bahia Blanca
and consists of all embarked aircraft.
Fuerza Aeronaval 3 (Naval Aviation Force 3)
[
edit
]
The
Fuerza Aeronaval Numero 3
(FAE3) is based at
Naval Airbase Almirante Zar
, near
Trelew
to perform sea control and
Search and rescue
duties along the Argentine coast from the
Uruguayan
border to the
Antarctic Peninsula
.
Naval aircraft in service
[
edit
]
List excludes non-operational aircraft (notably P-3B Orion and Dassault-Breguet Super Etendard) in storage or refurbishment
In addition to the Naval aviation, a small air fleet is maintained by the
Argentine Coast Guard
.
For aircraft previously operated by the Argentine Navy, see
List of aircraft of Argentine Naval Aviation
.
See also
[
edit
]
- ^
Backing the Humphrey-Kennedy amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1976, the Carter administration placed an embargo on the sale of arms and spare parts to Argentina and on the training of its military personnel.
- ^
"He hoped to be able to fly off six Skyhawks with a 240-mile combat radius and each armed with six 250kg bombs. He needed 40 knots of wind to be able to achieve this. At 22.00 the wind started to drop. He now calculated that it would take until 06.00 before he could be in a position to mount the attack. Two hours later at midnight the wind had dropped further....It was now estimated that an attack would not be possible.."- Freedman, Lawrence: Signals of war (1990) Faber and Faber.
ISBN
0-571-14144-7
- ^
Lieutenants Zubizarreta, Marquez (both A-4Q pilots) Benitez & Miguel (MB339s)
References
[
edit
]
Portions based on a translation from Spanish Wikipedia.
Citations
[
edit
]
- ^
"Comandante de la Aviacion Naval"
.
argentina.gob.ar
(in Spanish). 3 April 2020
. Retrieved
2021-12-31
.
- ^
Christopher Chant (2001).
Air War in the Falklands 1982
. Bloomsbury USA. p. 35.
ISBN
978-1-84176-293-7
.
- ^
5myGRpteiEQC
.
Archived
from the original on 21 June 2013
. Retrieved
24 December
2014
.
- ^
"AvNaval"
.
Archived
from the original on 4 March 2016
. Retrieved
24 December
2014
.
- ^
ARA DC-2/DC-3 history
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"Base Ellsworth"
.
Archived
from the original on 12 November 2014
. Retrieved
24 December
2014
.
- ^
"Aviones de la muerte"
.
Pagina 12
.
Archived
from the original on 2010-01-14
. Retrieved
2010-02-07
.
- ^
"HMS Ardent Falklands War 1982"
.
YouTube
.
Archived
from the original on 21 April 2013
. Retrieved
24 December
2014
.
- ^
"PDF book: Historia de la Aviacion Naval Argentina"
.
www.trackerenmalvinas.com.ar
(in Spanish). Archived from
the original
on 2007-05-17
. Retrieved
2010-01-21
.
- ^
"Overview of U.S. Policy Toward South America and the President's Upcoming Trip to the Region"
.
Archived
from the original on 9 June 2011
. Retrieved
24 December
2014
.
- ^
"ARAEX ops"
.
YouTube
.
Archived
from the original on 2016-03-25
. Retrieved
2016-11-29
.
- ^
"Gringo-Gaucho Ops"
.
YouTube
.
Archived
from the original on 2016-04-18
. Retrieved
2016-11-29
.
- ^
"NAVAIR delivers two more Sea King helicopters to Argentine Navy ? News ? Shephard"
.
Archived
from the original on 29 September 2011
. Retrieved
24 December
2014
.
- ^
"Argentine navy short on spares and resources for training and maintenance"
. MercoPress. 22 November 2012.
Archived
from the original on 29 January 2013
. Retrieved
4 January
2013
.
- ^
Gonzalez, Diego (10 March 2014).
"Argentine Super Etendard modernisation hits major snags"
.
IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
.
Archived
from the original on 27 July 2014
. Retrieved
23 July
2014
.
- ^
"Los Super Etendard argentinos estarian operativos en dos anos - Noticias Infodefensa America"
. 10 June 2020.
- ^
"Argentine Air Force faces another hurdle for its re equipment plans"
.
- ^
"Argentina busca repuestos para los asientos eyectables de los Super Etendard Modernise - Noticias Infodefensa America"
. 5 July 2021.
- ^
"Argentine Navy warplanes still grounded due to lack of British-made spare parts"
.
- ^
"Los Super Etendard Modernise siguen a la espera de novedades"
. 28 December 2022.
- ^
"El Ministerio de Defensa de Argentina decide frenar la recuperacion de los Super Etendard"
.
Pucara Defensa
. 18 May 2023.
- ^
Morales, Fernando (24 May 2023).
"La Armada Argentina sumara cuatro aeronaves para incrementar el control del mar nacional: los detalles tecnicos y cuanto costaran"
.
Infobae
.
- ^
"La Armada Argentina prepara la vuelta al servicio de los Super Etendard ante la llegada del portaviones USS George Washington"
.
Zona Militar
. 8 April 2024.
- ^
a
b
"Argentina's P-3C Orion aircraft support package sale approved by US"
. 20 December 2019.
- ^
a
b
"El estado de la Aviacion Naval Argentina"
. 12 February 2021.
- ^
"¿Una luz de esperanza para los P-3B Orion?"
.
Zona Militar
. 14 August 2020.
- ^
"FADEA inspecciona un P3B de la Armada Argentina"
[FADEA inspects a P3B of the Argentine Navy].
Defensa.com
(in Spanish). 2021-10-29
. Retrieved
2023-11-07
.
- ^
"Aviacion Naval pierde capacidad de control del mar"
.
- ^
a
b
Mary, Gonzalo (20 June 2023).
"La Armada Argentina contabiliza en ano y medio solo 158 dias de navegacion y 52 horas de vuelo"
.
Infodefensa.com
. Retrieved
26 June
2023
.
- ^
Gonzalo, Mary (9 September 2023).
"Cooperacion regional en accion: ejercicios combinados de la Armada Argentina"
.
infodefensa.com
(in Spanish)
. Retrieved
9 September
2023
.
- ^
a
b
Videla Sola, Mariano German (19 July 2023).
"Ante la falta aviones de patrulla maritima, la Armada Argentina busca recuperar dos S-2T Turbotracker"
.
Zona Militar
.
- ^
"Argentina busca reflotar la oferta de EEUU de cuatro aviones P-3C Orion para la Armada"
.
- ^
"La Armada Argentina buscaria adquirir las aeronaves P-3C Orion ofrecidas por Estados Unidos en el ano 2019"
. 8 June 2022.
- ^
"Novedades sobre los P-3 Orion para la Armada Argentina"
. 13 December 2022.
- ^
"La Armada Argentina negocia la compra de P-3 Orion y mas helicopteros"
.
Pucara Defensa
. 27 February 2023.
- ^
Argentina buys P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Norway
, Jose Higuera,
Defense News
, 2023-09-09
- ^
Roldan, Juan Jose (28 December 2023).
"Estos fueron los vehiculos y aeronaves incorporadas por las Fuerzas Armadas Argentinas durante el ano 2023"
.
Zona Militar
.
- ^
Rivas, Santiago (27 March 2024).
"La Armada Argentina inicia los pagos por los P-3 Orion, aunque la entrega aun se demora"
.
Pucara Defense
.
- ^
"Con la presencia de Taiana se presentaron los dos nuevos helicopteros Sea King para la Armada adquiridos con FONDEF"
.
Ministerio de Defensa
. 24 November 2022.
- ^
"La Armada Argentina analiza la adquisicion de helicopteros Sea King adicionales"
.
Zona Militar
. 1 March 2023.
- ^
a
b
"El Primer Huron para la Armada Argentina arribo a Rio Cuarto"
. Pucara Defensa. 4 May 2023
. Retrieved
7 May
2023
.
- ^
Air Forces Monthly
April 2008 issue, pp.18.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
"World Air Forces 2022"
. Flightglobal Insight. 2022
. Retrieved
15 April
2022
.
- ^
"Firmaron un convenio para la adquisicion de aeronaves P-3 Orion para la Armada Argentina"
.
Government of Argentina
. 17 October 2023.
- ^
Roldan, Juan Jose (28 December 2023).
"Estos fueron los vehiculos y aeronaves incorporadas por las Fuerzas Armadas Argentinas durante el ano 2023"
.
Zona Militar
.
- ^
Rivas, Santiago (27 March 2024).
"La Armada Argentina inicia los pagos por los P-3 Orion, aunque la entrega aun se demora"
.
Pucara Defense
.
- ^
a
b
Hoyle, Craig, ed. (2023).
"World Air Forces 2024"
. Flightglobal Insight
. Retrieved
12 December
2023
.
Sources
[
edit
]
- Lezon, Ricardo Martin & Stitt, Robert M. (January?February 2004). "Eyes of the Fleet: Seaplanes in Argentine Navy Service, Part 2".
Air Enthusiast
(109): 46?59.
ISSN
0143-5450
.
- Lezon, Ricardo Martin & Stitt, Robert M. (July?August 2002). "Gifted Fighter: The Argentine Navy's Singular SE.5A".
Air Enthusiast
(100): 25.
ISSN
0143-5450
.
- Morgan, Eric B. & Burnet, Charles (December 1981 ? March 1982). "Walrus... Amphibious Angel of Mercy".
Air Enthusiast
(17): 13?25.
ISSN
0143-5450
.
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Aviacion Naval Argentina
. Sebastian Sequeira, Carlos Cal y Cecilia Calatayud.
ISBN
950-9064-02-5
, SS&CC ediciones, Buenos Aires, 1984. (Spanish text)
- Arguindeguy, Pablo Eusebio (1980).
Historia de la Aviacion Naval Argentina, Tomo 1
(in Spanish). Vol. 1. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Departamento de Estudios Historicos Navales
. Retrieved
2014-08-31
.
- Arguindeguy, Pablo Eusebio (1981).
Historia de la Aviacion Naval Argentina, Tomo2
(in Spanish). Vol. 2. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Departamento de Estudios Historicos Navales
. Retrieved
2014-08-31
.
- Martini, Hector Albino (1992).
Historia de la Aviacion Naval Argentina, Tomo 3
(in Spanish). Vol. 3. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Departamento de Estudios Historicos Navales
. Retrieved
2014-08-31
.
- Martini, Hector Albino (2012).
Historia de la Aviacion Naval Argentina, Tomo 4
(in Spanish). Vol. 4. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Departamento de Estudios Historicos Navales.
External links
[
edit
]