Argentine Air Force: Deshielo Operation, back in 2003

2003 Drills... before the debacle

Thaw [Deshielo] Operation

By Hernán Longoni
Pictures: Matias Orefice and 5th Figther Group



Between June 27 and July 4, 2003, the "Deshielo operation" was carried out at the Río Gallegos AB, in the province of Santa Cruz, in which numerous aircraft and personnel belonging to the host Unit and 3 of the most important Brigades of the Argentine Air Force.




In order to fulfill a role of making its presence effective in southern areas, the Air Force carries out this type of deployment, whose secondary objective is to train ground personnel and flight crews to carry out war operations in such harsh conditions.

To this end, personnel from the I, V and VI Brigades deployed means to carry out the entrusted work.



The I Air Brigade, whose peace base is located in the town of El Palomar, Province of Buenos Aires, deployed personnel from its I Air Transport Squadron, consisting of a Lockeed KC-130H Hercules, who carried out logistical and resupply tasks in flight. The latter capacity recovered and practiced with the A-4AR weapon system, the only aircraft that the AAF currently has with the possibility of being refueled in flight.



For its part, the V Air Brigade, based in the town of Villa Mercedes, San Luis Province, deployed the most modern vector available to the FAA, the A-4AR Fightinghawk, which in its single and two-seater versions took part in the exercise.
These fighter-bomber aircraft carried out tactical attack exercises, air coverage, and navigation under IFR conditions.




Likewise, the 6th Brigade, with a peace headquarters in Tandil, Province of Buenos Aires, contributed its Mirage family fighters to the exercise, both in the IIIEA and Finger models, carrying out tactical navigation, hunting and escort and ground attack exercises.



The tactical deployment of all units included flights to the Lago del Desierto, Beagle Channel, Ushuaia and Los Glaciares National Park areas.



At the end of the operation, the rigorous evaluations were carried out, transcending the satisfaction prevailing in the intervening units.

As a previous event of the aforementioned exercise, open days were held, with the purpose that the citizens come into contact with the material that our Air Force has for the fulfillment of its main mission: the defense of national sovereignty.




Hangar Digital