Aviation
Military /
Americas
Renovated arsenal
Argentina Air Force shows interest in Russian Mig-35 fighter plane
Modelos do MiG-35 na MAKS de 2019
Alexandr Ermakov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
MiG-35
Dmitriy Pichugin, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons
Rafael Ramos
8/27/2021
On January 19 of this year, the Chief of Staff of the Argentine Air Force (FAA), General Xavier Isaac, and the Russian ambassador to the country, Dmitry Feoktistov, met in his office. Argentina, together with the Russian company Rosoboronexport S.A., which develops high-tech war aircraft, requested technical and commercial information about Russian fighters, as TN.com.ar learned through a public consultation.
The last supersonic fighters that the Argentine Air Force owned were the Mirage. The aircraft has spent 43 years of uninterrupted service.
Now, the solution to that deficit could come directly from Russia. The Argentine Air Force refuses to specify what information about the aircraft is requested, but, it seems, the interest was in the Mig-35, since this plane meets the technical specifications that the country needs to have an interceptor fighter again. .
An alleged interest by the Argentine government in acquiring Russian fighter jets has been circulating for a few months.
“In accordance with the reequipment needs of the Argentine Air Force (FAA), it formally requested information on combat aircraft to carry out a technical and commercial analysis,” the authorities replied.
Other details, such as technical specifications of the plane, possible purchase of weapons and quotation of the aircraft, among other matters, since this information is of Military Secret, according to what is established in Decree 9360/63.
In addition, in addition to the Russian fighter, there is the possibility of the Argentine Air Force to acquire the Chinese JF-17. Another option seems to be that the United States could offer a Block 40 batch of F-16s to be modernized.
The modernization of the Armed Forces would be carried out using the National Defense Fund (FONDEF), which was implemented during the administration of Agustín Rossi.
“The Russian, Chinese or North American market is not closed. There is no predilection for anyone in particular. If it is (an aircraft) Western it will be Western and if it is not Eastern," said an FAA source who exposes the need for the country to retool an Air Force that was able to surprise the world in 1982 with its attacks on the British fleet, leveled. with the soil and the sea.
In 2020, an Argentine Air Force A-4AR Fightinghawk fighter-bomber crashed south of the province of Córdoba. Gonzalo Fabián Britos Venturi was expelled, but died and his death opened up again the debate on the budget that has not been used for decades for the renovation of military equipment, not only for the FAA, but also for the Army and Navy. The tragedy of ARA San Juan is another case of an incident aimed at the maintenance of maritime fleet units.
The MiG-35 would cost around $30 million, however the amount can be financed. “It will be necessary to see what the current administration allows us to commit to FONDEF's resources”.
ABOUT THE MIG-35
On the official website of Rosoboronexport, which is the only Russian state intermediary authorized to import and export military products, technologies and services, the Mig-35 is designed to attack air targets in any weather, day or night, and to destroy mobile and fixed ground targets.
The aircraft can fly at 1400 km/h at low altitude and at 2100 km/h at high altitude, with the ability to carry out different types of mission, being
air patrol, interception and destruction of air targets, as well as attacks against surface (land) targets.
The plane is compatible with a range of weapons, such as short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles; air-to-ground missiles; guided aerial bombs; rockets and unguided bombs and an internal cannon. Due to a wide range of weapons along with its excellent flight performance, the MiG-35 / 35D offers high combat effectiveness.
MiG-35
FFA P-16, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hyperlinks:
...
...
...
Rafael Ramos
Aviation enthusiast from an early age, he had his first contacts with the area developing that good old habit of spending dozens of hours in front of the screens of Micrsoft Flight Simulator and other simulators. With a solid background in various technological areas, including engineering and chemistry, Rafael has rejoined aviation as editor and author of articles and materials on our portal, providing invaluable help to the dynamics and expansion of the website and the aeronautical community, bringing us the news and updates so indispensable for us to remain current in our area of operation.
   
|