USA-Argentina: Deepening a Strategic Alliance

Argentina–U.S.: Deepening a Strategic Alliance

On February 24, 2025, the Argentine Air Force inducted its first F-16 fighter jet at a ceremony held at the 6th Air Brigade in Tandil, Buenos Aires—an event marking a significant milestone in the modernisation of Argentina’s Armed Forces. (Photo: Mundo de Aviación)


Based on Maria Zuppello/Diálogo

Argentina and the United States continue to strengthen a partnership spanning over two centuries, rooted in shared values and a mutual commitment to regional security. Recent developments reflect an ongoing deepening of defence and security cooperation between the two nations.

Among the most notable milestones, Argentina’s Joint Special Operations Command and the U.S. Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) convened their first bilateral Special Operations Forces Talks (SOF Talks), aiming to enhance operational collaboration and lay the groundwork for sustained training partnerships. Concurrently, the Argentine Armed Forces commemorated the arrival of their first F-16 fighter jet, acquired with support from the United States, signalling a pivotal advancement in the country’s aerial defence capabilities.

“Argentina has a historic opportunity to redefine its role on the global stage. A strategic alliance with the United States not only modernises our military and technological capacity but also reshapes international perceptions of our country,” said Roberto Lafforgue, a seasoned diplomat and former officer in the Argentine Navy, in an interview with Diálogo.

SOF Talks
ARG–U.S. Defence Partnership 2
Argentine President Javier Milei delivers a speech during a ceremony marking the U.S. donation of a C-130H Hercules aircraft to the Argentine Air Force, Buenos Aires, April 5, 2024. (Photo: U.S. Embassy in Argentina)

In mid-March, Argentina’s Joint Special Operations Command and SOCSOUTH formalised enhanced collaboration through the inaugural SOF Talks. This high-level strategic forum aims to improve joint military readiness and reinforce regional security through combined training exercises, knowledge-sharing among special forces, and standardisation of operational procedures. The dialogue concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding, endorsed by Argentine Army Brigadier General Cristian Pablo Pafundi, operational commander of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mark Schafer, commander of SOCSOUTH. The agreement formalised a long-term training commitment for Argentine special forces.

Established in 2018, Argentina’s Joint Special Operations Command is a relatively new entity that has rapidly developed its capabilities to address the increasing complexity of special operations missions. The new cooperation framework represents a critical move towards achieving greater interoperability and improving joint readiness in the face of shared security challenges.

One of the central components of this growing partnership is the planned Atlantic Dagger exercise, scheduled for February 2026 in Argentina’s Patagonia region. Although still in the preparation stage, the exercise is set to unfold in rugged locations such as Tierra del Fuego, Santa Cruz, and Islas de los Estados, renowned for their harsh weather and topography. Modelled after U.S. Special Forces operations in Alaska, the drill will involve high-stress, simultaneous manoeuvres in extreme conditions. Moreover, the training will serve to bolster Argentina’s operational preparedness in the Strait of Magellan, a key strategic maritime passageway linked to the Antarctic region.

New Aircraft

Marking a transformative moment in Argentina’s military modernisation efforts, the Argentine Air Force (FAA) officially received its first Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon in a highly publicised ceremony at the 6th Air Brigade in Tandil, Buenos Aires. According to defence publication Janes, Argentina is expected to receive an additional 24 F-16 aircraft starting in December 2025.

ARG–U.S. Defence Partnership 3

“One of the finest fighter jets in the world is now part of the FAA’s arsenal, reinforcing the defence of our national sovereignty across the entire territory,” stated the Argentine Ministry of Defense. “This marks the recovery of our supersonic capabilities and the beginning of a new chapter for our Armed Forces.”

In April 2024, Argentina signed an agreement to acquire 24 U.S.-made F-16s from Denmark—a $300 million transaction supported by $40 million in U.S. Foreign Military Financing, the first such funding granted to Argentina since 2003. This purchase is part of a broader set of acquisitions involving U.S. defence technology. Other notable agreements include a deal with Norway for four Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft for maritime patrol and surveillance, and a proposed acquisition of a Basler BT-67 aircraft from the United States for logistical missions in Antarctica. Additionally, in April 2024, the U.S. government transferred a C-130H Hercules transport aircraft to the FAA—valued at approximately $30 million—as part of a security assistance donation.

Cybersecurity

Another critical area of progress in bilateral defence relations is cybersecurity. In late March 2024, Argentine Minister of Defense Luis Petri and then U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Marc Stanley signed a cybersecurity cooperation agreement. Under this framework, both nations committed to expanding joint training, operational collaboration, and technological support in the realm of cyber defence.

“We signed a cyber defence memorandum with the U.S.—a crucial step forward in strengthening Argentina’s digital defence capabilities thanks to U.S. support,” Minister Petri wrote on his X account. “This partnership is a reflection of the deep and strategic relationship between our countries and a testament to our shared commitment to work together.”

For Roberto Lafforgue, the deepening of the Argentina–U.S. alliance is a welcome development. “Joint operations in the South Atlantic, collaboration on Antarctic initiatives, and cybersecurity cooperation are essential tools to confront transnational threats such as organised crime and drug trafficking, and to avoid alignment with global powers that do not share our democratic values,” he concluded.

Argentine Aviation Army: The Grumman OV-1C/D AE-021

The Grumman OV-1C/D AE-021 In conjunction with a re-equipment program of the Argentine Army Aviation, as a result of the lessons left by the war over the Malvinas Islands, the Mohawk SDARM (Weapons System) was gradually withdrawn from the US ARMY, giving the possibility of acquiring a batch of 23 aircraft of the OV-1C and D type to this country in order to supply this weapon. Thus, in 1992, the affected cells in the United States began to be selected, for which purpose a group of troops was commissioned with the then Major Horacio Sabin Paz in charge. Of these aircraft, the first to arrive in the country would be those registered AE-020 and AE-021, the first of which had (and has) dual command. The aircraft that concerns us today is the one that carried Bu/No 68-15932, which saw the light for the first time when it left the Grumman factory in January 1969, its original standard being that of OV-1C, converted to the D model in December 1974, carrying the Motorola AN/APS 94 SLAR radar, which was removed before its delivery to our army. After a brief stint at NASA in 1983, he was sent to the 224Th MI BN, where he remained stored for a long period, his last Criew Chief in the US being Lt (Lieutenant) Mathewson. He was permanently discharged in the United States in April 1993, despite which his administrative discharge was some time earlier, since his shipment by ferry flight to our country ended in December 1992, with a North American crew. It enters in service in the "Escuadrón de Aviación Exploración y Reconocimiento 601" in December 1992, a unit in which he remained during his brief career in our country, being the first OV-1 with simple command to arrive in the country (the AE- 020 had it originally). In 1999 he was transferred to reserve status in the "Batallón de Abastecimiento y Mantenimiento de Aeronaves 601", and his discharge was decided that same year. Finally, it was destined as a monument, for which it was thoroughly cannibalized, preserving the engines and propellers, remaining since August 1999 in the "Historical Museum of the Argentine Army", located in the town of Ciudadela in fair condition. (Carlos Pellegrini and Father Elizalde Ciudadela) The AE-021 in NASA  The OV-1D Mohawk number 67-15932 was used in 1983 as a test bed for tests carried out jointly between NASA and the US Army within the framework of the USAAEFA program in order to develop and evaluate a new loss warning system. , and dangerous excess or decrease in speed. The system designed by NASA presented both the indicated speed and the stall speed in the same integrated instrument, it also incorporated a voice synthesizer that produced a verbal alert that indicated possible risk situations. Visual information of an imminent stall was presented to the pilot as a cursor or pointer located on the conventional speedometer. The indicated speed and the stall speed were computed in real time, taking various parameters of the airplane's aerodynamics. When the system was ready, it was installed on the Mohawk and tested for less than 20 flight hours, enough time to calibrate the system and determine the aircraft's loss coefficients. Then these data obtained during the tests were uploaded into the system software and another 10 hours of flight were carried out where the device was satisfactorily evaluated. All flights were carried out by US Army pilots, not from the Dryden base where NASA normally conducts its tests but from a US Army base. Hangar Digital

Bell 47 D “Sioux” in the Argentine Navy

Bell 47 D “Sioux” 0289 / 2-HE-3

 
Two-seat transport and training helicopter

Dimensions
Length x rotor diameter x height: 8.33 x 10.72 x 2.89 meters.

Weight: 
Basic: 651 kg 
Maximum at take off 1067 kg. 

Performance: 
Max Speed: 159 km/h. 
Range: 360 km. 

Powerplant: 
One FRANKLIN 6V4-200-C32AB 200 SHP motor, main rotor with 2 blades. 

Avionics: 
AN/ARC 48 UHF 

Abstract: 
9 examples were acquired starting in 1949, which constituted the first helicopters of Naval Aviation. They operated until 1969 when they were transferred to the Argentine Naval Prefecture.


 

The museum specimen was incorporated in 1951 as 0289/1-HE-6, then 0289/2-HO-3 and finally 2-HE-3.
In service until 1965.
Delivered to MUAN on July 26, 1995.
Restored, with the missing original plexiglass dome, which could not be obtained. It remains on display in the Technology Hangar.

MUAN