2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque
Encyclopedia
The 2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque (EA32) ( Second Naval Fighter/Strike squadron ) is the main strike unit of the Argentine Naval Aviation
, the air branch of the Argentine Navy
.
from the Kansas
state, but painted green instead of blue .
and finally took his current name on August 1956 when received Vought F4U-5 Corsair
for use on the ARA Independencia aircraft carrier.
In 1980, the Naval Aviation decided to buy 14 Super Etendards, after the United States put an arms embargo in place —due to the Dirty War
— and refused to supply spare parts for their A-4Q Skyhawks
. Argentine pilots used French flight trainers between November 1980 and August 1981 in France including operations from the Clemenceau aircraft carrier but, although being all A-4Q veterans, they had received only 45 hours of actual flight time in the new aircraft when in April 1982 the Falklands War
began.
s missiles were already shipped to Argentina in November 1981, when a new arms embargo prevented the delivery of further units. More problematic was the fact that the French technicians working at Bahía Blanca on the integration of the Exocet into the Super Etendard received orders to leave the country as well. Nevertheless the Squadron managed to complete the work and, the ARA 25 de Mayo
not being modified to allow them operate embarked yet, they were deployed south to the naval air base at Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego
. One aircraft -SUE serial number 3-A-201- was dismantled to be cannibalized for spare parts use while the rest used aerial refuelling from KC-130 Hercules tankers of the Argentine Air Force
to perform the following missions (Showing aircraft used):
Once the conflict was over, the rest of the Super Etendards shipment was delivered and the Squadron performed qualifications on aircraft carrier ARA 25 de Mayo Video. After the retirement of their last carrier, Argentine cooperation with the Brazilian Navy
has meant that the naval air wing has continued to operate from the deck of carrier NAe São Paulo during ARAEX exercises video and/or touch-and-go landings on US Navy carriers when they are in transit within Argentine coastal waters during Gringo-Gaucho manouvres video Super Etendard 3-A-203 was lost in a deadly crash on 29 May 1996 while attempting to land on Punta Indio airstrip.
On March 2010, during transit around South America, the squadron performed Gringo-Gaucho / Southern Seas 2010
manoeuvers with the US Navy's aircraft carrier
As of 2010, the Squadron is still using Super Étendards and French cooperation to upgrade the aircraft was announced.
Argentine Naval Aviation
The Argentine Naval Aviation is the naval aviation branch of the Argentine Navy and one of its four operational commands...
, the air branch of the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
.
Seal
The insignia is nicknamed La Lora (female parrot) and was created in 1956 and inspired on US Navy fighter squadron VF-144 Bitter Birds 's Jayhawk, a mythological hawkHawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
from the Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
state, but painted green instead of blue .
History
In 1944, both naval aviation existing Reconnaissance units are transformed in Attack Squadron receiving their Vought V-65F & V-142A but soon in 1945 the 2nd is changed again as a Bomber Squadron. The 2nd squadron is reestablished in 1949 as a Combat Squadron flying AT-6 TexanT-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
and finally took his current name on August 1956 when received Vought F4U-5 Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
for use on the ARA Independencia aircraft carrier.
In 1980, the Naval Aviation decided to buy 14 Super Etendards, after the United States put an arms embargo in place —due to the Dirty War
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
— and refused to supply spare parts for their A-4Q Skyhawks
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
. Argentine pilots used French flight trainers between November 1980 and August 1981 in France including operations from the Clemenceau aircraft carrier but, although being all A-4Q veterans, they had received only 45 hours of actual flight time in the new aircraft when in April 1982 the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
began.
Falklands War
Five Super Étendards, or Sue (ˈsu.e) as they are called, and five ExocetExocet
The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
s missiles were already shipped to Argentina in November 1981, when a new arms embargo prevented the delivery of further units. More problematic was the fact that the French technicians working at Bahía Blanca on the integration of the Exocet into the Super Etendard received orders to leave the country as well. Nevertheless the Squadron managed to complete the work and, the ARA 25 de Mayo
ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2)
The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was an aircraft carrier in the Argentine Navy from 1969 to 1997. The English translation of the name is the Twenty-fifth of May, which is the date of Argentina's May Revolution in 1810....
not being modified to allow them operate embarked yet, they were deployed south to the naval air base at Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego
Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego
-External links:* * * *...
. One aircraft -SUE serial number 3-A-201- was dismantled to be cannibalized for spare parts use while the rest used aerial refuelling from KC-130 Hercules tankers of the Argentine Air Force
Argentine Air Force
The Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
to perform the following missions (Showing aircraft used):
- May 2 Cpt Colombo and Lt Machetanz
- May 4 Cpt Bedacarratz and Lt Mayora (3-A-202 & 3-A-203) sank . Two Exocet fired.
- May 15 The retirement of the last of the maritime patrol SP-2H NeptunesP-2 NeptuneThe Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a Maritime patrol and ASW aircraft. It was developed for the United States Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, and being replaced in turn with the Lockheed P-3 Orion...
due airframe attrition affected the Squadron reconnaissance support. - May 23 Cpt Agotegaray and Lt Mariani did not find targets at the designated location.
- May 25 Cpt Currilovic and Lt Barraza (3-A-203 & 3-A-204) sank MV Atlantic Conveyor. Two Exocet fired.
- May 30 Cpt Francisco and Lt Collavino (3-A-202 & 3-A-205) joined four Air Force A-4C SkyhawksA-4 SkyhawkThe Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
of Grupo 4 in an attempt to strike the aircraft carrier. According to British sources, two of the Skyhawks were shot down by Sea Dart missileSea Dart missileSea Dart or Guided Weapon System 30 is a British surface-to-air missile system designed by Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and built by British Aerospace from 1977...
s from during the final approach, and the last Exocet available was destroyed by a direct impact of frigate 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun.
Present
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
has meant that the naval air wing has continued to operate from the deck of carrier NAe São Paulo during ARAEX exercises video and/or touch-and-go landings on US Navy carriers when they are in transit within Argentine coastal waters during Gringo-Gaucho manouvres video Super Etendard 3-A-203 was lost in a deadly crash on 29 May 1996 while attempting to land on Punta Indio airstrip.
On March 2010, during transit around South America, the squadron performed Gringo-Gaucho / Southern Seas 2010
Gringo-Gaucho
Gringo-Gaucho are a set of maneuvers performed between the Argentine Naval Aviation and United States Navy's aircraft carriers. The US Navy refers to them as Southern Seas in their last edition.-History:...
manoeuvers with the US Navy's aircraft carrier
As of 2010, the Squadron is still using Super Étendards and French cooperation to upgrade the aircraft was announced.
External links
- Super Etendard at the Argentine Navy official site
- Argentine Naval Aviation Institute
- MUAN Official Naval Aviation Museum