Argentine Army Aviation
Encyclopedia
The Argentine Army Aviation (Spanish
: Comando de Aviación Ejército Argentino, AvEjer) is the army aviation
branch of the Argentine Army
. Their members have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Army.
Along with its primary role of supporting Army operations, the Army Aviation is highly involved in humanitarian aid missions, emergency relief, medical evacuations and forest firefighting.
Army aircraft with tactical camouflage have adopted high-visibility yellow markings Ejército (Spanish
for "Army") in order to encourage the national press to stop referring to them as belonging to the air force
.
when on 8 July 1867, Staff Sargeant Roberto A. Chodasiewicz used a Observation balloon
during the battle of Humaitá. Since then, the army was the main driving force behind national aeronautical development. The use of enthusiastic students who relied on the selfless support of civil institutions and airclubs, saw the creation of the Military Aviation School
at El Palomar in 1912.
The establishment of the Army Aviation Service saw a great expansion of Argentine air power in the 1912-1945 period. The creation of the first aviation units and foundation of Fabrica Militar de Aviones lead to the creation of the Argentine Air Force
in 1945, which the Army had given most of its aircraft and installations.
In 1956, Army Aviation was re-established within the Army and began a major expansion, incorporating new types of aircraft and opening new bases around the country. In 1965, using a Cessna U-17
they performed their first expedition to the South Pole
.
During the 1970s the service consolidated itself as an important branch of the Army receiving aircraft such as the Aeritalia G.222 transport which caused no little differences with the Air Force. The expansion plans continued in early 1980s with the incorporation of the Boeing CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter.
The dictatorship that took power in 1976 increased tensions with Chile which reached their highest point during the 1978 Operation Soberanía
where the Army Aviation performed major deployments.
. The Argentine Army Aviation deployed CH-47 Chinook
s, Agusta A109
, SA330 Puma
s and UH-1Hs to the islands, where they performed 796 general support flights under harsh operating conditions. Their helicopters were also extensively used in Patagonia
and the Army also took over police
MBB Bo 105s during the conflict. Six Army aviation members died in the war.
. In 1998, Argentina was granted Major Non-NATO ally
status by United States President Bill Clinton
and the Army Aviation began an expansive program that included the reception of OV-1 Mohawk
s and surplus UH-1H from the US Army. The US also authorized the delivery of 12 AH-1F Cobra
gunships but the operation was halted by the Argentine Government. In the 1990s, the Aviation Army began its Unmanned aerial vehicle
program, the Lipan series.picture In 2007, the Ministry of Defense
evaluated the Chinese Changhe Z-11 helicopter but no offers were accepted. Also in 2007, the Army unveiled the indigenous CIcare CH-14 Aguilucho
scout prototype video. A major update program is currently underway refitting the Hueys to the Huey II variant. On March 2010 it was announced the purchase of five Bell 206 for the Joint armed forces
school
where all the training and maintenance is done
The service has also permanent forward location bases assigned to both HQ and brigade levels.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Helicopters
|-----
| Aérospatiale SA 315 Lama
|
| Search and rescue Andes Mountains
| SA 315B
| 4
|
|-----
| Agusta A109
|
| Scout/attack helicopter
|
| 2
|
|-----
| Bell 205
|
| Utility helicopter
| 205A1
| 4
|
|-----
| UH-1 Iroquois
|
| Utility helicopter
| UH-1H
| 28
| Being upgraded to Huey II type
|-----
| Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma
|
| Antarctic
support helicopter
| AS 332B
| 3
|
|-----
| Bell 206
|
| joint armed forces trainer
|
| 0
| 5 on order
|
|
|-----
| Mi-17
|
|Antarctic Transport
|
|0
|5 on order
|
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainers
|-----
| Cessna T-41 Mescalero
|
| Trainer
| T-41D
| 8
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transports
|-----
| Alenia G.222
|
| Transport
|
| 3
|
|-----
| Beechcraft Queen Air 65
|
| Staff transport
| 65-B80
| 2
|
|-----
| CASA C-212 Aviocar
|
| Transport
| C-212-200
| 2
|
|-----
| Cessna 207
|
| Utility
| T207
| 6
|
|-----
| Cessna 550 Citation
|
| VIP transport
| Citation I
| 2
|
|-----
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
|
| Utility
| DHC-6-200
DHC-6-300
| 1
1
|
|-----
| Fairchild SA-226 Merlin
|
| Staff transport
| Merlin IIIA
Merlin IIIB
Merlin IVA
| 2
1
3
|
|-----
| Grumman OV-1 Mohawk
|
| Intelligence & Electronic Warfare
| OV-1D
| 20
| Additional 6 in storage for spares
|-----
| Rockwell Sabreliner 75
|
| VIP transport
| Sabreliner 75A
| 3
|
|-----
|}
In addition to army aviation, a small air fleet is maintained by the border guard Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Comando de Aviación Ejército Argentino, AvEjer) is the army aviation
Army aviation
Army Aviation refers to aviation-related units of a nation's army, often described as an air corps. These units are generally separate from a nation's dedicated air force, and usually comprise helicopters and light support fixed-wing aircraft....
branch of the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
. Their members have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Army.
Along with its primary role of supporting Army operations, the Army Aviation is highly involved in humanitarian aid missions, emergency relief, medical evacuations and forest firefighting.
Army aircraft with tactical camouflage have adopted high-visibility yellow markings Ejército (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "Army") in order to encourage the national press to stop referring to them as belonging to the 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:...
.
History
Military aviation in Argentina traces back to the War of the Triple AllianceWar of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
when on 8 July 1867, Staff Sargeant Roberto A. Chodasiewicz used a Observation balloon
Observation balloon
Observation balloons are balloons that are employed as aerial platforms for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Their use began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War I, and they continue in limited use today....
during the battle of Humaitá. Since then, the army was the main driving force behind national aeronautical development. The use of enthusiastic students who relied on the selfless support of civil institutions and airclubs, saw the creation of the Military Aviation School
Army Aviation School
An Army Aviation School is a military educational establishment responsible for the training and development of the personnel and equipment of the aviation element in those armies that have a separate aviation branch.- Tasks :...
at El Palomar in 1912.
The establishment of the Army Aviation Service saw a great expansion of Argentine air power in the 1912-1945 period. The creation of the first aviation units and foundation of Fabrica Militar de Aviones lead to the creation 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:...
in 1945, which the Army had given most of its aircraft and installations.
Cessna 185
-Specification for differing configurations:-References:* Jan Churchill, Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia, Sunflower University Press, Manhattan KS, ISBN 0-89745-215-1...
they performed their first expedition to the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
.
During the 1970s the service consolidated itself as an important branch of the Army receiving aircraft such as the Aeritalia G.222 transport which caused no little differences with the Air Force. The expansion plans continued in early 1980s with the incorporation of the Boeing CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter.
The dictatorship that took power in 1976 increased tensions with Chile which reached their highest point during the 1978 Operation Soberanía
Operation Soberanía
Operación Soberanía was the codename of a planned Argentine military invasion of Chile to be carried out on 22 December 1978 due to the Beagle conflict dispute. The invasion was halted at the last minute and did not take place....
where the Army Aviation performed major deployments.
Falklands War
In 1982, the Military Junta invaded the Falklands Islands triggering a ten-week long war against the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Argentine Army Aviation deployed CH-47 Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
s, Agusta A109
Agusta A109
The AgustaWestland AW109 is a light-weight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter built by the Anglo-Italian manufacturer AgustaWestland...
, SA330 Puma
Aérospatiale Puma
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...
s and UH-1Hs to the islands, where they performed 796 general support flights under harsh operating conditions. Their helicopters were also extensively used in Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
and the Army also took over police
Buenos Aires Provincial Police
The Buenos Aires Provincial Police is the police service responsible for policing the Province of Buenos Aires, in Argentina....
MBB Bo 105s during the conflict. Six Army aviation members died in the war.
Present Day
After the war, the Aerospatiale Super Puma was incorporated, mainly for Antarctica support duties operating from Navy's icebreaker ARA Almirante IrizarARA Almirante Irízar (Q-5)
The ARA Almirante Irízar is a large icebreaker of the Argentine Navy. The ship is currently out of service since 2007, when a fire broke out in the auxiliary generator compartment...
. In 1998, Argentina was granted Major Non-NATO ally
Major non-NATO ally
Major non-NATO ally is a designation given by the United States government to close allies who have strategic working relationships with US armed forces but are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization...
status by United States President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and the Army Aviation began an expansive program that included the reception of OV-1 Mohawk
OV-1 Mohawk
The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk is an armed military observation and attack aircraft, designed for battlefield surveillance and light strike capabilities. It is of twin turboprop configuration, and carried two crewmembers with side by side seating...
s and surplus UH-1H from the US Army. The US also authorized the delivery of 12 AH-1F Cobra
AH-1 Cobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...
gunships but the operation was halted by the Argentine Government. In the 1990s, the Aviation Army began its Unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
program, the Lipan series.picture In 2007, the Ministry of Defense
Ministry of Defense (Argentina)
The Ministry of Defense of Argentina is a ministry of the national executive power that deals with everything related to the country national defense...
evaluated the Chinese Changhe Z-11 helicopter but no offers were accepted. Also in 2007, the Army unveiled the indigenous CIcare CH-14 Aguilucho
Cicaré CH-14
-See also:-External links:* *...
scout prototype video. A major update program is currently underway refitting the Hueys to the Huey II variant. On March 2010 it was announced the purchase of five Bell 206 for the Joint armed forces
Military of Argentina
The Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, in Spanish Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina, are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief and a civilian Minister of Defense...
school
Structure / Air bases
The main airbase is located at Campo de MayoCampo de Mayo
Campo de Mayo is a military base located in Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina, northwest of Buenos Aires.Campo de Mayo covers an area of and is one of the most important military bases in Argentina, including Argentine Army's:...
where all the training and maintenance is done
- Army Aviation Group 601
- 601st Assault Helicopter Battalion601 Assault Helicopter BattalionThe 601 Assault Helicopter Battalion is a helicopter unit of the Argentine Army.This battalion is the main helicopter unit of the Argentine Army Aviation and is based on Campo de Mayo, Buenos Aires. The unit is composed by Bell UH-1H and Aerospatiale Puma helicopters. It is organised in two...
- 601st Aviation Maintenance Battalion
- 601st Intelligence Support Aviation Squadron
- 602nd Attack/Scout Aviation Squadron
- 603rd General Support Aviation Squadron
- 604th Support Aviation Squadron
- 601st Assault Helicopter Battalion
The service has also permanent forward location bases assigned to both HQ and brigade levels.
- II Army Corps
- 121st Army Aviation Section (Rosario)
- 2nd Army Aviation Section (ParanaParaná, Entre RíosParaná is the capital city of the Argentine province of Entre Ríos, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, opposite the city of Santa Fe, capital of the neighbouring Santa Fe Province...
) - 12th Army Aviation Section (PosadasPosadas, MisionesPosadas is the capital city of the Argentine province of Misiones, located at the south of the province, on the left-hand shore of the Paraná River, opposite Encarnación, Paraguay. The city has an area of 965 km² and a population of 323,739 ....
)
- III Army Corps
- 141st Army Aviation Section (CórdobaCórdoba, ArgentinaCórdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
) - 6th Army Aviation Section (NeuquénNeuquénNeuquén is the name of the following things:* Neuquén, Argentina* Neuquén Province* Neuquén River* Neuquén Group...
) - 8th Army Aviation Section (MendozaMendoza, ArgentinaMendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
)
- 141st Army Aviation Section (Córdoba
- V Army Corps
- 181st Army Aviation Section (Bahía BlancaBahía BlancaBahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
) - 9th Army Aviation Section (Comodoro RivadaviaComodoro RivadaviaComodoro Rivadavia is a city in the Patagonian province of Chubut in southern Argentina, located on the San Jorge Gulf, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Chenque Hill. Comodoro Rivadavia is the most important city of the San Jorge Basin....
) - 11th Army Aviation Section (Río Gallegos)
- 181st Army Aviation Section (Bahía Blanca
Aircraft inventory
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Helicopters
|-----
| Aérospatiale SA 315 Lama
Aérospatiale Lama
|-See also:-External links:...
|
| Search and rescue Andes Mountains
| SA 315B
| 4
|
|-----
| Agusta A109
Agusta A109
The AgustaWestland AW109 is a light-weight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter built by the Anglo-Italian manufacturer AgustaWestland...
|
| Scout/attack helicopter
|
| 2
|
|-----
| Bell 205
|
| Utility helicopter
| 205A1
| 4
|
|-----
| UH-1 Iroquois
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
|
| Utility helicopter
| UH-1H
| 28
| Being upgraded to Huey II type
|-----
| Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma
Eurocopter Super Puma
The Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter marketed for both civil and military use. Originally designed and built by Aérospatiale, it is an enlarged and re-engined version of the original Aérospatiale Puma...
|
| Antarctic
Argentine Antarctica
Argentine Antarctica is a sector of Antarctica claimed by Argentina as part of its national territory. The Argentine Antarctic region, consisting of the Antarctic Peninsula and a triangular section extending to the South Pole, is delimited by the 25° West and 74° West meridians and the 60° South...
support helicopter
| AS 332B
| 3
|
|-----
| Bell 206
Bell 206
The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
|
| joint armed forces trainer
|
| 0
| 5 on order
|
|
|-----
| Mi-17
|
|Antarctic Transport
|
|0
|5 on order
|
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainers
|-----
| Cessna T-41 Mescalero
|
| Trainer
| T-41D
| 8
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transports
|-----
| Alenia G.222
Alenia G.222
The Aeritalia G.222 is a medium-sized STOL military transport aircraft. It was developed to meet a NATO specification, but Italy was initially the only NATO member to adopt the type. The United States purchased a small number of G.222s, designating them the C-27A Spartan...
|
| Transport
|
| 3
|
|-----
| Beechcraft Queen Air 65
|
| Staff transport
| 65-B80
| 2
|
|-----
| CASA C-212 Aviocar
|
| Transport
| C-212-200
| 2
|
|-----
| Cessna 207
|
| Utility
| T207
| 6
|
|-----
| Cessna 550 Citation
Cessna Citation
The Cessna Citation is a marketing name used by Cessna for its line of business jets. Rather than one particular model of aircraft, the name applies to several "families" of turbofan-powered aircraft that have been produced over the years...
|
| VIP transport
| Citation I
| 2
|
|-----
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
|
| Utility
| DHC-6-200
DHC-6-300
| 1
1
|
|-----
| Fairchild SA-226 Merlin
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
|
| Staff transport
| Merlin IIIA
Merlin IIIB
Merlin IVA
| 2
1
3
|
|-----
| Grumman OV-1 Mohawk
|
| Intelligence & Electronic Warfare
| OV-1D
| 20
| Additional 6 in storage for spares
|-----
| Rockwell Sabreliner 75
|
| VIP transport
| Sabreliner 75A
| 3
|
|-----
|}
In addition to army aviation, a small air fleet is maintained by the border guard Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina.