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Ejercito Argentino - Argentine Army - Modernization

By 2017 the army was modernizing its Tanque Argentino Mediano (main battle tank, or TAM), the core of its armored force, as well as upgrading its domestically developed artillery vehicles and aging U.S. M113 armored personnel carriers.21 Yet, while it aspires to shift from tracked vehicles to more wheeled vehicles that are better suited for current missions, budget limitations have forced the postponement of the acquisition of 6x6 or 8x8 armored vehicles such as the Chinese VN-1, the Brazilian Guarani, or the (rumored favorite) U.S. Stryker vehicle.

The technology currently available to the Argentine Army was incorporated during the 1970s. The age of this technology critically affects other design factors in the organization. The lack of up-to-date technology has become a barrier to military operations, impeding the development of new military tactics. Personnel have feelings of frustration because of current knowledge about the technological situation of other armies in the region. They make obvious comparisons with the Argentine Army.

There is also an increasing lack of information technology in the Argentine Army. The problems in this area are more notable due to the extraordinary dynamic evolution of this field, as well as an exponential growth of the demand for information at any level. This issue affects all type of activities. Maintenance, in general, is scarce. Preventive maintenance is almost nonexistent. Corrective maintenance takes place with limitations, sometimes equipment is fixed by taking parts from another out of order piece of equipment.

The Argentinean forces had a large shopping list by the end of military rule in 1983, but sucessive economic crises forced all three services to make painful cuts. Near term prospects for new equipment procurement remain limited, and many planned upgrade programs were languishing.

Major equipment in service with the Argentine Army in 1985 included some 150 TAM main Argentine battle tanks that were produced in Argentina under the supervision of the armed force. An undetermined additional number of TAMs were on order. In 1985 the army still counted in its inventory over 100 United States-manufactured M-4 Sherman Firefly medium tanks, some of which had been in service for nearly 40 years. The TAM medium tanks were slowly replacing the old Sherman models still in use.

Also included among the army's armored vehicles were some 60 French-manufactured AMX-13 light tanks and some 300 AMX-VTP mechanized infantry combat vehicles. There was also a domestically manufactured infantry combat vehicle, the VCPT (VehIculo de Combate Transporte de Personal), modeled on the TAM, of which some 150 were in service with the army. The principal armored personnel carriers in the army's inventory included over 100 tracked M-113s and some 80 of the Swiss-manufactured wheeled MO WAG Roland.

The standard light artillery weapon used by the army in 1985 was the M-56 105mm pack howitzer, which was manufactured in Argentina under license with the Italian firm of OTO Melara. During the early 1980s Argentina was also producing two additional models of howitzers, the M-77 and the M-81 155mm towed guns, which had a top carriage similar to that of the French 155mm Mk F3 self-propelled guns—also in use by the army. Also still in use in the mid-1980s were about a dozen M-101 105mm and M-2 155mm howitzers that were manufactured in the United States during World War II.

Antiarmor and air defense weapons used by the Argentine Army included the Bantam, Cobra, Mathogo, and Mamba antitank guided weapons and the Tigercat, Blowpipe, and Roland surface-to-air missiles.

Army Aviation, as the air battalion was called, was composed primarily of helicopters and small, fixedwing transports but also included aircraft used for observation and training missions. The total inventory of the aviation command, including items being delivered, was estimated at close to 300 aircraft in late 1983. Despite defense spending cutbacks, the Argentine government was still accepting delivery in 1985 on military equipment ordered after the 1982 South Atlantic War.

In early 2001 the Argentine Army signed a contract with the US for the purchase of AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters for the 'Air Assault Force' that will include personnel from ceremonial regiments (Patricians and Grenadiers), Command Companies 601 and 602 and the 601 Air Assault Battalion.

In September 2004 the Argentine army signed an agreement with US-based Bell Helicopter to modernize its current fleet of 20 choppers. The deal, the value of which was not specified, provides for overhaul of the aircraft at military repair installations in Argentina. The Argentine army said the re-fitting would increase cargo capacity, allow the aircraft to fly at higher altitudes and in warmer weather with greater efficiency and extend their service life to 20 years.

During the first phase of the project, Bell personnel will be in charge of re-fitting the first helicopter and also train Argentine military technicians so they can modernize the other 19 aircraft at the Campo de Mayo military installations outside Buenos Aires.

Regarding ground operational capabilities of the military instrument, an increase of almost $68 million pesos was granted in 2007, in order to strengthen the professionalization of the sector’s human resources and the recovery, modernization and safe operation of its material resources. With respect to combat transport capabilities, the implementation of the upgrading program for M113 mechanized vehicles was accelerated, reaching two thirds (2/3) of the fleet considered as necessary.

The consolidation of the “Gaucho” project deserves a special consideration. The “Gaucho” vehicle, capable of accomplishing missions such as exploration, air-assault, command and control post, material transport and evacuation of wounded people, was jointly designed and executed with Brazil. Moreover, a decision was made to acquire 700 parachute gears, thus resulting in full renewal of such parachutes about to reach the end of their service life, while doubling the existing operational equipment stock.

Regarding the Army’s vehicle fleet, in addition to the restoration of repair shops in 2003, the government decided to procure 39 fuel tankers and 5 semi-trailer heavy trucks for the transport of ammunitions, in strict compliance with current safety standards. Additionally, it was decided to strengthen the field communication capabilities with the acquisition of high-frequency equipment, essential to conduct operations in the field.

Continuing with management actions aimed at consolidating the Army’s air means, and to respond to the observations made by the external audit report, we instructed the implementation of an improvement plan in the Aviation Command’s sphere. Such plan includes investments on infrastructure, tools and service bulletins, as well as the recovery of personnel and cargo hauling capabilities, and community support capacity in case of emergencies.

Such initiatives intended to strengthen air capabilities of the land military instrument also include the speeding up of “Hornero” project (transformation of UH-1H helicopters to Huey II) through extra budget allocations.