UNIDEF 2012 Drills

More than 3,900 personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force participated, who contributed materials such as planes, helicopters, warships, tanks and armored vehicles.

From October 21 to 26, the Argentine Air Force (FAA) participated together with the Army and Navy in the training exercise called UNIDEF (United for Defense), carried out at the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, near the city of Bahía Blanca.

At UNIDEF 2012, the operational doctrine used was applied to combat situations in air, sea and land. Its objective was to evaluate the level of joint training and improve the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces for the execution of maneuvers within the framework of territorial defense.

The purpose of the maneuver was to carry out an amphibious incursion to conquer terrain and block the advance of the enemy who had invaded their own terrain, until the arrival of the land component that allowed the counterattack.

For this, procedures such as disembarkations and reembarkations were carried out; refueling of aircraft in flight; infiltrating and exfiltrating of divers; naval, air and ground fire; heliborne operations; parachute drops and armored counterattacks.

Weapon systems and deployed assets

To participate, the Air Force provided IA-58 Pucará aircraft from the III Reconquista Air Brigade; A-4AR fighter-bombers of the V Villa Reynolds San Luis Air Brigade; Mirage III aircraft of the VI Tandil Air Brigade; an MI 17 helicopter and a Bell 212; a TPS 43 radar and an Aerospace Operations Center.

The following tasks were executed such as: air superiority offensive, close air fire support, active direct aerospace defense,
attack on naval targets, special operations, search and rescue, air assault, surveillance and control of airspace.

The purpose of UNIDEF was to evaluate the level of joint training, particularly in those activities that involved the execution of different tactical procedures, and to increase joint operational capabilities for the execution of operations within the framework of the dynamics of a territorial defense.

The final stage

On the last day of operations, UNIDEF was observed by the Secretary of Strategy and Military Affairs, Oscar Cuattromo; the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Jorge Chevalier and the operational commander of the Armed Forces, Brigadier Major Humberto Trisano. In addition, the head of the Army, Lieutenant General Luis Pozzi, the head of the Air Force, Brigadier General Normando Costantino, the deputy head of the Navy, Rear Admiral Gastón Erice, and national legislators belonging to the Defense Commission of the National Congress were present.

The delegation was able to learn about the activities planned for that day. The Air Force, to close the exercise, participated with simulated attacks on vessels with the IA-58 Pucará, Mirage III and V, and shooting practice with the A-4 AR.