| Argentine Naval Aviation | |
|---|---|
| Comando de la Aviación Naval Argentina | |
 Argentine Naval Aviation patch | |
| Active | 1916 – present |
| Country |  Argentina |
| Branch | Argentine Navy |
| Type | Naval aviation |
| Size | c. 20 aircraft |
| Part of | Navy Ministry of Defense |
| Engagements | Falklands War (Spanish:Guerra de las Malvinas)Gulf War |
| Website | argentina.gob.ar/aviacionnaval |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President |
| Chief of Staff of the Navy | Admiral |
| Chief of COAN | Rear Admiral Eduardo Miguel Tourné[1] |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Former roundel | .svg) |
TheArgentine Naval Aviation (Spanish:Comando de la Aviación Naval Argentina,COAN) is thenaval aviation branch of theArgentine Navy and one of its four operational commands. Argentina, along withBrazil is one of two South American countries to have operated twoaircraft carriers.
The acronymCANA is often used in English language bibliographies,[2][3] but is not correct Spanish usage.
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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 schoolFuerte Barragan was created nearLa Plata and the anniversary of this is marked as Naval Aviation Day. In September 1917 three naval lieutenants were sent to the USNaval Air Station Pensacola from which they were subsequently deployed to Europe to participate in World War I.[citation needed]
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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 theNorth American AT-6, theBeechcraft AT-11 and theConsolidated PBY Catalina.Sikorsky S-51 helicopters joined the service shortly after the war in 1949.
The COAN received a baptism by fire on 16 June 1955 when naval airplanes took part in thebombing of Plaza de Mayo. Three aircraft were shot down: one by anArgentine Air ForceGloster Meteor in air-to-air combat and two others by anti-aircraft guns. AGrumman J2F was shot down over the town of Saavedra on 18 September that year.
Navy pilots would see combat again during 1962–63 internalmilitary fighting between factions known asAzules y colorados (blue and reds), culminating in the1963 Argentine Navy Revolt in which NavyF9F Panthers andF4U Corsairs bombed Argentine Army tanks in defense of the Navy base of Punta Indio.
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 theF4U Corsair,SNJ-5Cs Texan andGrumman S2F-1 (S-2A) Trackers. The Navy also hadF9F Panther andF9F 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 the1965 border dispute betweenArgentina and Chile but no combat occurred.
The naval training force receivedT-28 Trojans,T-34 Mentors andAermacchi MB-326 jets which would be later reinforced with the most powerful variantMB-339.
More aircraft entered service during the 1960s, including theC-47 Dakota[5] (which were extensively used inAntarctica including the first national landing on theSouth Pole made in 1962 by Captain Hermes Quijada who departed fromEllsworth Station[6]),Sikorsky S-55 helicopters and shore based aircraftP-2 Neptunes formaritime patrol duties.
In 1969 the Navy received her second carrier,ARA25 de Mayo, from the Netherlands. On her voyage home, the British companyHawker Siddeley demonstrated itsHarrier GR1 but the Argentines opted for theA-4Q Skyhawk instead. More helicopters were incorporated into the new carrier, theAlouette III and theSH-3 Sea King, and also the more advanced S-2E variant of the Tracker. Cargo planesFokker F-28 andL-188 Electra modified for maritime patrol were also added.
The 1970s surface fleet modernization plan included the purchase ofBritish destroyers with their complement ofWestland Sea Lynx helicopters but their use would be affected by the upcoming events.
In 1972 aircraft changed the wordNaval toArmada painted on them.pictorial
In 1976, aMilitary Junta took power in Argentina and initiated a state-sponsored campaign of violence known as theDirty War. Naval aviators were used to toss political prisoners (the "disappeared") into theRiver Plate, in the infamousDeath flights.[7] In 1978, tension with Chile reached the highest point when the Argentine junta initiatedOperation Soberanía. The war was avoided at the last minute by the intervention of popeJohn 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 theFalkland Islands (Spanish:Islas Malvinas) theJunta ordered an invasion and triggered the ten-week-longFalklands War (Spanish:Guerra de las Malvinas).[citation needed]
The naval aviation, suffering anarms embargo since 1978 by US PresidentJimmy Carter for human rights abuses,[n 1] was in the middle of the process of replacing theirA-4Q Skyhawks with French-builtDassault-Breguet Super Étendards. The planes usedAM39 Exocet anti-shipping missiles, also purchased from France, to sink theRoyal Navy'sHMS Sheffield and the support shipAtlantic Conveyor. The older A-4Qs also had a role, destroyingHMS Ardent.[8]
On the eve of war the Argentine carrierARA Veinticinco de Mayo attempted to launch a wave of A-4Q Skyhawk jets against theRoyal 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 submarineHMS Conqueror sank the cruiserARA General Belgrano, the carrier returned to port for safety and her Skyhawks began their attacks from mainland Argentina instead.
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Navy'sT-34s andMB-339s, along with Air Force'sPucarás, were the only combat aircraft based on the islands and anMB-339 was the first aircraft to engage the British landing force during theBattle of San Carlos.[citation needed]
During the war the last twoSP-2H Neptunes were retired due to airframe attrition and replaced with two leased BrazilianEMB 111 Bandeirantes.[9]
Four naval aviators died in the war.[n 3] Fourteen aircraft were lost, to various causes.
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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 modifiedBeechcraft Super King Air were incorporated andEurocopter Fennecs were bought as the new surface fleet embarked helicopter. New-built AgustaSH-3 Sea Kings forAntarctica arrived andUH-1H helicopters were assigned to the naval aviation to support theArgentine Marines. The navy also receivedBrazilian MB-326 Xavantes to replace their lost MB-339s.
The 1980s saw the last deployments ofARA25 de Mayo: theDassault-Breguet Super Étendards and theIsraeli upgradedS-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 embarkedAlouette IIIs and cargo planes to the 1991Gulf War underUN mandate. In 1998, Argentina was grantedMajor Non-NATO ally status by United States PresidentBill Clinton.[10]
Since 2001, due to the lack of an aircraft carrier, pilot qualification tests took place on the Brazilian Navy carrierSão Paulo[11] and/or touch-and-go landings onUS Navy carriers when they are in transit within Argentine coastal waters forGringo-Gaucho manoeuvres.[12]
On 2008 the United States transferred four Sea King helicopters to replace the two lost in the fire of the icebreakerARA 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 Étendard to the latest Super Étendard Modernisé (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 Fernández 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-3Nsearch and rescue aircraft from Norway, the first were to arrive atTrelew 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 took place in September 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 additionalSea 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]
COAN has 5 main airbases ( Spanish:Base Aeronaval (BAN) ):
TheFuerza Aeronaval 1 (FAE1) is based atPunta Indio Naval Air Base, nearLa Plata, Buenos Aires.
TheFuerza Aeronaval 2 (FAE2) is based atnavy airbase Comandante Espora, nearBahía Blanca and consists of all embarked aircraft.
TheFuerza Aeronaval Numero 3 (FAE3) is based atNaval Airbase Almirante Zar, nearTrelew to perform sea control andSearch and rescue duties along the Argentine coast from theUruguayan border to theAntarctic Peninsula.
List excludes non-operational aircraft (notably P-3B Orion and Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard) in storage or refurbishment
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maritime Patrol | ||||||
| King Air | United States | maritime surveillance | BE-200 Cormorán | 4[43] | ||
| P-3C Orion | United States | maritime surveillance | P-3C/N Orion | 1 | 4 (1 P-3N/3 P-3C) ordered; service entry of first aircraft in September 2024; remainder to follow in 2025[44][45][46] | |
| S-2T Tracker | United States | maritime surveillance | S-2T Tracker | 2[47] | Plans to restore two aircraft to flying condition as of 2023[31] | |
| Transport | ||||||
| King Air | United States | utility | 200 | 1[43] | being replaced by 2Beechcraft TC-12B Hurons as of 2023[41] | |
| Pilatus PC-6 | Switzerland | transport | 1[43] | |||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Eurocopter AS555 | France | utility | 1[43] | |||
| AugustaWestland AW109 | Italy | utility | 8 on order[47] | |||
| SH-3 Sea King | United States | ASW | S-61D-3 | 4[43] | ||
| Trainer Aircraft | ||||||
| Beechcraft T-34 | United States | trainer | 10[43] | |||
In addition to the Naval aviation, a small air fleet is maintained by theArgentine Coast Guard.
For aircraft previously operated by the Argentine Navy, seeList of aircraft of Argentine Naval Aviation.
Portions based on a translation from Spanish Wikipedia.
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