Operation Paramour: Executive Summary
Prologue
Second Falklands Islands War
Appendix 1: Argentina Military Modernization
Argentina military modernization began in 2016 with a secret authorization from the Boudou government authorizing the military to begin planning for a massive spending program, the result of frustration with the lack of Argentina geo-political options in the Malvinas dispute with the UK. For nearly 10 year prior to 2010 the military budget was not enough to fund major arms purchases and barely cover the cost of living pay for its soldiers and maintain a minimum state of readiness. The Argentine government allowed the military to decay in favor of social programs which were championed by former President Nestor Kirchner. The eroding of the Argentine military capability was the byproduct of this and a political decision which reflected a population deeply distrustful of a strong military. Both Kirchners viewed the military publicly and privately with caution. As a result Argentina’s military was largely dismantled by the back to back civilian Kirchner governments which took power from the military. The Dirty War period [1976 – 1983] was one of the lowest points in Argentine history and killed between 30,000 and 45,000 civilians. As Argentina moved into the 21st century its civilian government was determined to keep the military weak and forgo Geo-political influence which came with having a powerful military. It forced them to into using late 1990s era technology which much of the inventory of tanks and aircraft came from. The retirement of the ARA Veinticinco de Mayo the only operational aircraft carrier was a major blow to the Argentine Navy aspirations for regional power in the South Atlantic. As the Argentinians retreated the Brazilian Navy filled the vacuum. Argentina from 1990 to 2010 decayed further and became totally reliant on Brazil to provide it’s security from rival Chile who’s military remained smaller, but continued to modernize. The Chilean military overtook the Argentinians in terms of raw military power in the 2000s when they made the purchases of US made F-16 Block II Fighters and Germany Leopard Tanks.
The notion of a toothless Argentine military was a major campaign rally point for Boudou during his election against Cobos, who favored keeping the military small. This earned Boudou the assurances of the military and their backing for him. Something that eluded the Kirchner governments for nearly 20 years. This played into Boudou case for a increase in the military’s ability to project power beyond the borders. This lead to the Boudou to expanded the military when he defeated Cobos in the 2014 election. Boudou third executive order in office was known as Order 4040 ; this transferred nearly $26 billion dollars from the Treasury into a special military economic development fund. This fund was then used to modernization the armed forces and earned money from investing in construction and expanding military bases. The CETA Argentina’s largest defense contractors assumed a windfall of money would finally becoming to them after nearly 20 years of budget cuts. Instead the Boudou government in secret chose to license off-the shelf military systems from foreign arms sales. This fund covertly procure weapons systems from as many as 6 different foreign nations at once while remaining secret to even some members in the military and private sector. This was a quick way to rapidly increased the strength of the armed forces, but drew the ire of its own military industry. Argentina’s own military industrial complex was largely excluded from these funds, the MIC of Argentina was seen as a major political rival to Boudou more economic focus government and a source of major political infighting between the political parties of Argentina. The major defense companies in Argentina after learning of scope of Order 4040, leaked information to the US government. The told the US intelligence about the sales of advanced missiles from China. The GoA had spent nearly 70% of the funds before the US discovery of the purchase of DH-10 missile. The GoA under pressure from it’s MIC began to building a larger sustained military anti-access capacity, a strategy similar to the one employed by the [PRC] China in the South China Sea. It includes purchases of long range cruise missiles and developed a intermediate range ballistic missiles.
The topics in these meetings have included traditional economic issues in additional to military arms deals. Namely the soybean exports to China and anti-dumping measure enforced by Argentina against Chinese companies. Russia interest in Argentina includes cattle/food exports which Argentina currently supplies nearly 70% of Russia beef imports and nuclear giant Rosatom current bids against competing Areva a French nuclear reactor company to build 3 new nuclear reactors in Argentina. The Russian’s sold the Argentines a fleet of 10 Mi-28N attack helicopters originally for Venezuela. The US had asked the Russians not the sell the helicopters to the Venezuelans and the Russia obliged have been looking for another buyer since then. The Mi-28N give the Argentine Army a significant advantage in the Falklands theater, they would quickly defeat any heavy armor currently on the island. They have also included ways for Argentine to exert its sovereignty without a major deterioration of relations with the United States. The US’s CIA has watched Argentina’s military spending with a reserved caution. The US has not sold advanced weapons systems to the GoA, but has not blocked such sales from European nations. They did sell a large number of armored cars and surplus MRAPs. The US still views the dynamics between the three major economies of South America as a mechanism to keep them divided and not unified. Despite Mercosur growth it does not include Chile, the 3rd largest economy in South America. The US was very cold to the notion of Argentines purchasing Chinese weapons but accepted when Argentina complained publicly at the high cost of similar US systems. The US has offer to sell the Argentine Air Force F-15E and F-16E/F, despite the AAF request for the F-35 which was blocked by the UK, but the AAF select the Rafale M instead and then cancelled a planned sale of E-777. The sale of the Rafale created some controversy as many in the AAF wanted to purchase American jets in order to better improve strained relations. But the Boudou government selected the French aircraft over the US offer of upgraded F-15E.
US SOUTHCOM has continued to ask for assurances from the GoA that their nuclear program remains peaceful. This trust is viewed as critical to maintain good relations with the United States. The Argentines wish to build a protective barrier which extends well beyond the 200 nm international lines to allow it to guarantee its food supply and Chinese investments in the country. While being able to project limited force beyond their maritime border is important to Argentine political goals, the real goal is to be able to re-capture the Malvinas Islands and its vast oil reserves. The Chinese are a very important international partner for Argentina’s pursuit of modernization of its military, but the Argentine economy is heavily dependent on exports and without high demand their coffers remain traditionally low. This changed in 2012 when food prices jumped world wide as the need for food in China outweighs international credit risks in the Argentine agriculture sector. They control nearly 90% of the leather export markets worldwide and account for over 2/3 of the world’s soybean production. Argentina continued to fill the void from US exports in animal livestock feed and agriculture. The Argentine Navy has gained the ability to operate far from its territorial waters. This allows the GoA government more leverage in negotiate food prices. The origins of this policy lies with Argentina strengthen ties with both Russia and China who have held numerous diplomatic meetings since the visit of CFK to Beijing in 2011. MI6 believes that Russia and China both view Argentina as a means to gain and significant foothold in South America export markets for food production and in turn can sell advanced weapons systems to a rebuilding Argentine military hungry for the latest weapons. While United States and Brazil remain the dominating military powers in the western hemisphere, most governments in South America have reduced ties with the US, and are willing to use these other foreign powers to extract concessions from the US.
The Government of Argentina has for the last 10 years benefited from rising food prices and raw materials which Argentina exports. The increase in domestic consumption and overall lack of political opposition to the Kinscher government has allowed Argentina to diverse money into costly infrastructure modernization programs which where to be delayed well beyond 2020. The government declined to modernization the rural parts of Argentina in favor of a rapid military spending. The current opinion of average Argentines support strengthen of the military but without a impact on state run social programs and medical coverage. The victim of this has been the Argentine highways & infrastructure which continues to decline, Argentine has the highest vehicles death rate in the world.
From 2003 to 2016 the Argentine military has gotten every penny it’s asked for each year. The military has grown nearly 4 times its size since the invasion in 1982. The total Argentina military forces including auxiliaries totals nearly a million people. The Argentina military officer corps is a network of historical military families serving at various parts of their history. The officers corps is also in command of a larger volunteer professional army.
The Argentina Army
has spent frugally with money only purchasing a few major new weapons systems, instead they have greatly increased the quality of their army, the pay increases and expansion of veterans benefits guarantees the loyalty of the Army. The Army also has dramatically increased the Special Forces units of the Army. The largest being the purchase of 81 Leopard 2E main battle tanks for $2.6 billion dollars. The Leopard 2E were purchased from Spain in 2014 after Spain accepted the deal for the tanks Argentina’s nationalization of Spanish Oil exploration company Restor essentially froze diplomatic relations between the two nations, and Spain was selling off the tank because of sanctions imposed on Spain by the EU over its military budget. The Spanish were trying to move past the dispute which strained relations and saw Spain lose to France and Germany as military contracts from Argentina swelled.
The Leopard 2E is a variant of the Leopard 2A6, one of the most advanced tanks in the world. It gives the Argentina Army the best tank in South America. The Leopard augments a huge inventory of TAM medium tanks were upgraded by Israel Elbit for huge 450 million dollar contract, the upgrades allow it better night fighting and a improved 105mm based on a Israeli design. The Argentina Army was only able to purchase 81 Leopards 2A6 while giving them the best tank in South American it did not present a major shift in power both the Chileans and Brazilians had more considerably more main battle tanks. After the sale of the Leopards to Argentina, the Army asked CETIA to develop a new heavy tank which would augment the Leopards and then replace them with larger numbers then both Chile and Brazil.
The TAH is a 48 ton 3rd generation main battle tank which uses the same transmission and suspension as the Leopard 2E, but a local engine and ceramic tracks, it has a local designed turret based on the Israeli Merkava, the TAH has a 120mm L55 gun which is a local copy of the same 120mm cannon in the Leopard 2E. The TAH is designed to operate in urban areas and open battlefields. It has a 20mm coaxial cannon and two remote weapons turrets for machine guns. It also has a unique feature of a 6 cell VLS system for RBS 70 laser guide SAM or Stinger Missiles. Its uses the tank built in targeting optics to guide up to two missiles at once using the gunner and commanders laser designators. The TAH armor is a ceramic composite plate using local depleted uranium which is reportedly as strong as the American Abrams . Its protection rating exceeds 2400mm, and can survive a top attack hit from a American Hellfire missile. The TAH uses the Isreali Topyr AMS system to intercept rockets and anti-tank missiles. Despite this purchase the bulk of the armor for the Army remains reliant larger on TAM based chassis. Another major sale was from the US a $390 million dollar purchase of a collection of surplus MRAPs and armored cars which were returning from Afghanistan. The MRAPs include both American and Israeli designs, and also included M114 TUSK which where fully digital, had FLIR, and Mk19 turrets. This increase the number of armored vehicles the the Argentines can deploy to protect its soldiers, some unconfirmed reports state that the Army has removed the FLIR cameras on the MRAPs and are adapting them for the TAH.
The size of the active Argentine army is 192,560 personnel, that includes nearly 30,000 special operations force, and around 75,000 national air/army/sea guard. There is also close to 300,000 civilian defense reservists and a the Federal Auxiliary Militia which have received some form on military training, these are mostly retired military and law enforcement officers. The range anywhere from 20 to 50s. Argentine has surpass all other South American nations in military spending and is outspending Brazil 4 to 1. Argentina has spent estimated 76% of the $26 billion dollar fund. Nearly 26% increase since 2010 year over year in spending. The currently rank 11th for military expenditures to GDP after being rank in the forties for nearly 20 years.
The AAF need for a integrated national air defense was one of the major national security goals of the modernization program. In 2015 the Argentine Minister of Defense(MoD) conducted a study codenamed GREY FALCON which studied ways to prevent the type of Gulf War air campaign against Argentina. In the report it concluded that future wars would leverage smaller and faster cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft, and/or stealth aircraft. The report indicated that the proliferation of drone technology would likely be used against Argentina by a regional powers in all levels of military and Geo-political activities. This technology was no longer exclusive to the US or Russia. The report laid out the path for the AAF to improve and eventually achieve 100% coverage of there airspace. Some regions which are strategic and should be prioritized, but the total cost of complete coverage was beyond even the budget of Order 4040 and would require nearly 10 additional years.
In order to achieve the goals in the time window, Argentina has agreements with the United States to share early warning radar centers and allow the stationing of US AWACS aircraft at four airbases inside of Argentina. Argentina also has a agreements with Brazil for coverage of ground radars which cross into Argentina airspace, and send information to the joint operation command center. The data is then transmitted in real time to the Argentina Air Force ground radar operations in the military district of Buenos Aires. Argentina’s air defense systems are a mix of Chinese/European, and indigenous designed systems. The AAF funded a joint air defense system called TANGO with Brazil. TANGO can be used to engage cruise missiles and UAVs, up to 40,000 ft. The only major drawback is the range of the system is less than 60 km, which prevents it from being used as a theater level air defense system. This allows the AAF a limited but modern integrated air defense system which can intercept 4th generation aircraft with a high degree of reliability in the regions where it is active. The TANGO was deployed to protect longer range fixed S300 missile batteries which the AAF planned to acquired later. TANGO can protect the S300 from cruise missile strikes or stealth aircraft with some degree of reliability. Even with the deployment of TANGO, Argentina will continue to lack a national integrated radar network and only has effective local coverage of about 37% of total airspace. This is located primarily in the south near the capital along the coastline and the along the border with Chile. While Argentina has stopped viewing Chile as a military threat relations have collapsed considerably during the Massa administration. This is largely do to Chilean business being pushed out by the inner circle of the Massa Administration. Brazil remains a important arms supplier for Argentina. Argentina has become one of Brazil’s largest customers for military hardware and have purchased 24 A-1M AMX International fighters worth nearly $1.9 billion, to retire their existing A-4Ms.
The purchase of HQ-9 missile system from China. The HQ-9 is a Chinese version of the heavy exported Russia S-300 series. This missile system is regarded as extremely reliable and effective against most 4th generation airframes. The S300 where purchased to protect key military and civilian installations from Chilean F-16’s. There are estimated to be 10 deployed S300 systems which have been identified from satellite imagery. The Argentine’s have purchased as many as 15 of these systems, but 5 remain in China. They have become political fodder for a dispute between the US and China over the South China Sea. The US has threaten to sell next generation THAAD systems to Taiwan if China continues to arm Argentina with a more advanced weapons.
In order to keep the Taiwanese arm sales from happening the Chinese have agreed to not sell the remaining missiles systems to Argentina. These batteries are primary in the Buenos Aires district. While Argentina’s purchase of the S300 makes it harder for the UK to strike targets in the mainland, the country lacks complete coverage of their entire country. The Argentina’s also have a number of indigenous designed Tango missile systems these are medium range and designed around the Aspide missile which is produced local. The Tango is a mobile missile system which can fire on the move and carries 20 missiles, its built with a 25km engagement range and a 120 km scan range, which allows up to 4 serial links to other Tango SAMs, one Tango mobile station can control all of the batteries linked to it and gives the ability to target any radar contact with any missile in range of the system. It is similar to the American AEGIS missile system but designed for a light armored vehicle the Tango is based on a Leopard 2 tank chassis.
Argentine Air Force
The Argentine Air Force has grown to nearly double the total number of aircraft it had during the height of its 1980s military, and includes some modern aircraft, notably the Rafael D which were purchased from France along with modernized Super Etendards, the AAF are the only operators in South America who fly the Rafael. The sale of the Rafael was controversial in Argentina, many inside the government wanted to purchase American F-16E and F-15E but the Boudou government favored the French jet which was reportedly picked because of Boudou french ancestry. Now the AAF is the only operators of the Super Etendard SEM, and are augmented with both purchases of new A-1 AMX ground attack fighters from Brazil and upgraded Nesher RX ground attack planes from Israel. The AAF upgraded locally produced Pucara in 2015 making it able to carry JDAMs and LGB. The AAF spend nearly 480 million dollars renovating two major air bases, one in the south near the Rio Grande, and the other along the Chilean border, both of these sites now have underground hangars and a complex network of munitions storage and fuel depots. This has been viewed internationally as act that would suggest Argentina is willing to use its air force in any military attack and can protect its air force from a crippling surprise attack on its air force on the ground.
The US has pressured many European nations to not sell highly advanced weapons to Argentina after British government continued protest in the UN and American media, arguing that Argentina was pushing a arms race in South America with Chile but despite these efforts the Argentine government reached a agreement with France to purchase new 12 Rafale D fighters and the remaining 24 Super Etendards in Frances inventory, the sale of the also includes a plan to upgrade the entire fleet of 18 Super Etendards to the SEM variant; this and Germany’s 3.6 billion dollar sale of two advance Type 214 submarines are the largest part of the total European arms deal. The French government insists that the Argentine purchases are not going to shift the balance of power in South America noting that Brazil currently out numbers the AAF by nearly 4 to 1. The AAF also secured a deal worth nearly a billion dollars for a small fleet of Israeli IAI drones and to modernized their inventory of 19 IAI Nesher with new ground attack radars and the ability to fire C-805 stand off missiles. The deals with Europe pose little real threat to the US, but they do give Argentina a much better ability to defend its airspace and beyond.
Argentina’s Navy has drastically expanded during the military build up of the late 2010s, this is due to several factors. Primarily sheer need for more crewmen as the Navy expanded its fleet in number of ships. The GoA has sought to increase the size of its Navy in order to operate a its goal of three operational naval task forces. The secondary effect is the creation of a national maritime reserve force which put thousands of unemployed young men into government services as port guards and dock workers, but also the Maritime Merchant force in a asymmetric naval warfare capacity, it is modeled on the Chinese PLA Navy. The PLAN uses both commercial and civilian ships to conduct surveillance and electronic eavesdropping, submarine monitoring and dozens of other intelligence gathering and clandestine purposes. The build up of this force allows the Argentina Navy the ability to asymmetric attack naval targets beyond its maritime waters using the cover of this civilian hybrid force.
Argentine Navy
The Argentine Navy purchased two Type 52C Luyang III guided missile destroyers from the PLAN after the PLA cancelled the arms sale of 5 additional HQ-9/S-300 SMU missile systems, this was roughly $750 million dollars worth of hardware which the GoA had already paid for, in order to make up for this the PLAN asked the GoA if the Argentine Navy would accept in place of the HQ-9, the last Type 052C destroyer being producing in China, the Argentine’s agree to the deal, if it included the option to purchase another Type 052C which would be produce locally in Argentina by Chinese ship builders. China agreed to these terms and the last Type 052C was renamed the ARA Bariloche and was delivered to Argentina in 2015. The second ARA Rio Grande was commissioned in 2017. The Rio Grande is currently the flagship of the Argentine Navy replacing the Sarandi. The Argentine Navy has grown considerably in its abilities to project power beyond the maritime borders of Argentina. The current fleet of ships is grown since 2002 to 23 ships total. This includes two advanced guided air defense missile destroyers from China and the first indigenously designed nuclear powered attack submarine in South America. The bulk of the Argentine Navy Is dividing into three operational battle groups, the Pacific Fleet, the Antarctic Fleet, and the South Atlantic Fleet. The South Atlantic Fleet remains the most powerful and contains both of Argentina’s amphibious assault ships. The Argentine Navy has modernized considerable in a short 8 year time span.
The Argentina Navy purchase five new ships since 2002 spending nearly $7.6 billion dollars in the process. They procured two advanced Type 214 submarines from Germany for 1.6 billion dollars, these are fuel cell powered and can fire long range cruise missiles from 655mm torpedo tubes they add to enhance the Submarine fleet. The Argentines then decided in 2014 to finish the construction of the last TR-1700, the Navy asked the government for nearly $75 million additional dollars to finish the construction, and then in 2015 requested a additional $178 million dollars. The money was to extend the hull and fit a nuclear reactor inside. The reactor was the first of its kind using a plasma induction system. Argentina engineers designed a revolutionary water jet system, this increased the cost of the project considerably. The advance reactor and propulsion system attracted the eye of the international community. Both the US and Brazil navy’s entered formal agreements to finance the construction of as many as 8 additional submarines with Brazil taking ownership of up to 3 of them. The US Navy would receive technology transfers of the reactor design which would be contracted with General Electric to build. The quiet propulsion system was revolutionary for its noise quieting technology. In one generation the Argentine navy accomplished in submarine stealth it took the USN nearly 4 generations.
The submarine, dubbed the Orca class was commission on 2016, in 2017 it was renamed the ARA Maldivians by the Massa administration on the anniversary of the first Falklands War. The Orca is as advanced internally as a flight two Los Angeles Class attack submarine. Its fully digital command center uses fiber optic data-links, but must rely on commercial satellite bandwidth to communicate. This severally limits the type of data which can be transmitted to the Orca while she is at sea. But the GoA has planned to launch a small network of satellites up to six, which would provide a new backbone communications system for its fleet at sea. The launch are planned for 2020 and 2022 using Brazil’s Space program. Once this network is in place the GoA will be able to operate thousands of miles out to sea. While they patrol capability of the Orca is far greater than anything else in South America its lacks modern electronic warfare and surveillance equipment found on UK and US submarines, which reduces it utility in some areas. It’s more advanced than British Swiftsure attack submarines used during the first war, but less advanced the current UK SSNs, but only marginally. The Chinese sold the Argentines two advanced guided missile air defense destroyers after the US objected the last shipment of HQ-9/S300 missile systems to Argentina. The US was responding from threats from Chile that if Argentina deploys S300s along its western border with Chile that the Chilean military would begin shifting forces to the same positions occupied during the Beagle Conflict. Five missiles systems totaled nearly 750 million dollars worth of hardware was blocked by the US. The US had become unwilling to continue to allow the Argentine government access to international arms markets in protest of the secret sale of DH-10 long range cruise missiles by China, the Chinese were in a difficult position being under heavy pressure to stop all weapons sales to Argentina in exchange for halting the construction of a joint BMD radar station in the South China Sea. The PRC under heavy pressure from internal protests against the BMD radar reached a compromise with Argentina, the $750 million would be transferred to the PLAN and they would sell the last Type 052C guided missile destroyer to the Argentine Navy. The PLAN was on track to cancel the construction of the ship after economic slowdown halted the construction.
The Argentina government was willing to accept the deal, but countered with the offer to then helped construct another Type 052C in Argentina. The Type 052C is the first Chinese destroyer produced outside of China for a international client, it is also one of a few ships which has a phased array and long range air defense missiles.The US allowed the sale of the two destroyer on the grounds that they already had procession of all the offensive weapons on board and that the ships would not be fitted with more advanced long range missiles. The Chinese did not sell the Argentines the more advanced HQ-19 missiles instead they integrated older HQ-9 missiles which Argentina already had in the form of ground based HQ-9 launchers. The Type 052C is as advance as the HMS Dauntless and can easily defeat the 4 Euro Fighters stationed on the Island. The Type 052 can protect roughly 300 km radius,track up to 72 targets and engage up to 4 launch long range anti-shipping missiles and cruise missiles which allows the Navy the ability to strike targets as far as the Canary Islands. The existing Navy ships received two major upgrades in 2007 and then in 2015 when the Argentines upgraded most of the computers and military hardware on board.The biggest advantage the Argentines have is the Orca which is designed to be a nuclear long range patrol submarine, it’s designed to operate in deep water at depths of over 300 meters. Its design to give Argentine a first strike or credible second strike capability. The Orca has 4 655mm tubesand a 24 cell VLS system which can carry both DH-10 cruise missiles or AS-20 Kayaks, which could hit targets in the UK when launched from the Middle Atlantic. With the threats of a resumption of Argentina military nuclear program it is possible to see the eventual use of the DH-10 as a platform to build a indigenous nuclear tipped cruise missile as the Chinese variant is already able to carry a 250 kiloton nuclear warhead.This would require the GoA to leave the NPT treaty, the intelligence currently does not indicate that the GoA is developing any type of nuclear warhead or weapon program. This must also be pretense knowing that Argentina did in fact nearly develop a nuclear weapon in secret during the late 1980s.
Argentina’s missile program
The biggest discovery is total number of missiles Argentina has purchased in the last 20 years. The sale of these missiles came from numerous international sources over the years. Argentina has for a long time had a advanced knowledge of missile design and is a member of the Missile Control Treaty. Argentina had a advanced ballistic missile program into the 1990s,but due to international pressure and the collapse of the South African economy led to the Argentina abandoning the Condor missile programs. Argentina’s missile program ran into further problems after the Falklands War. The British government blocked sales of replacements of french Exocet missiles after the war due to these missiles devastating effect on the UK fleet. The efforts of the British were effective and the Argentinians stopped pursuing the purchase in 1990s. Since then their inventory of missiles was widely reported to remain low. In two separate MI6 reports in 1997 and 2001 both stated that missile inventories of Argentina remained at their pre-1990s levels. This remained until 2009 when they turned to Venezuela to sell them copies of the AS-20 Kayak, a Russia exported version of the Harpoon missile with a range of 70 miles that Venezuela was producing locally with the help of Iran. Venezuela sold the license to produce the missile locally and the Argentines later co designed the AS-25 and AS-30 missiles which are similar to AGM-65 Mavericks with the Venezuelans. Argentine Army purchased 24 ASTROS II MLRS systems from Brazil in 2014 which have a range of over 90 km. They then upgraded them a year later to also have the option to fire 300 km SSM missiles. This increased the stand off range of the military considerable and alarmed MI6 who was monitoring the sale. This was the first time the Argentine Army had a missile that could strike the Falklands from the mainland.
The Argentinians inventory of missiles swelled again in the late 2010s when they purchased missiles from China. China has become one of the largest customers of Argentina’s food exports during this same time, and Chinese investment in Latin America hit $15.6 billion during the 12-month period through the same time period, nearly three times greater than the decade before. Of that amount Argentina received close to 40%. More than 70% of China’s investment in the region went to energy and minerals, but farming is attracting more attention as the country seeks to fill its bowls from foreign fields. China ;s food demand has surged at a growth rate of nearly 1000% from their levels in the 1990s, as middle class Chinese diet changes. They already buys the bulk of Argentina’s soybean exports, its top crop and largest source of export revenue. Soybeans are mainly used as livestock feed in China, where meat consumption is rising along with personal incomes. At the same time, urbanization is shrinking the amount of arable land available in China. China’s largest farming company, Heilongjiang Beidahuang Nongken Group, signed a joint venture with Argentina’s Cresud SA to buy land and farm soybeans. The relationship between Argentina and China has only grown in the proceeding years. The Argentines under the Massa administration approached the Chinese to help modernize their military. This was done outside of the orbit of the United States, which was at first rebuffed by the Chinese who were already under strained relations with the United States. The Chinese FM instructed the GoA that China was interested in growing the relationship which included military support but these actions can only be done slowly and without making waves as to bring the attention of the American or the British who were watching Chinese investments all over the world attempt to retain influence as Chinese firms replace Western companies.
The Argentina acquired C-805 and DH-10 missiles from China roughly 3 years later, after the Chinese sign a multi-billion dollar deal for access to Argentines beef and farmlands again. This sale set off alarm bells in the US and UK as predicted by the Chinese as these missiles can hit targets far beyond the waters of Argentina. The NSA provided the UK’s MI6 with information about the sale which included the Kh-55/DH-10 land attack missile designs with a range of over 3000 km and can easily hit targets on the Falkland Island from the mainland. The Argentinians claimed that the missiles are part of a broad new modernization program, but MI6 has uncovered that the designs for these missiles were sold as well, and that Argentina purchased a license to produce these missiles from China as well as the radars and fire control systems. These and the sale of new ships in the Navy we believe will give the AAF more perceived capabilities to repel a countering UK naval task force. The AAF and AAN plans would be to attack the task force before it arrived in the region using submarines and long range missiles.
The Argentina Navy purchased of 2 Type 214 Submarines from Germany, one of which has already been delivered. The Type 214 is a advanced modern submarine that can fire anti-shipping missiles and land attack cruise missiles. We believe Argentina has purchased a modified version of the AS-20K cruise missile which can be fired from a 533 mm torpedo tube, these would allow it to be fired from both the Type 209 and Type 214 submarines, this missile has a effective range of 1200 km and is a significant threat to surface vessels operating in the region. The Argentina missile inventory has grown covertly over the last 10 years with more then ten purchases which we not public disclosed.
| Argentine Air Force | |||
| Aircraft | Current Inventory 2010 | Planned 2018 | Information |
| Super Etendard [SEM] | 24 | 38 Super Etendard Modernized | Purchasing the remaining French Super Etendards from their navy, the SEM refurbishing has included improved radar (Anemone), an laser system,radar detectors, they have night operational gear, a combination of GPS and laser which enables the aircraft touse precision guided munitions with just a few meters of target. |
| A-1 AMX Ground Attack | 24 | 24 A-1 AMX Ground Attack | to be produced jointly with Brazil |
| Nesher | 19 | 18 Nesher III Ground Attack | upgraded to allow all-weather day/night attack, also fitted to carry C-802 missile, renamed the “Nestor” Type |
| FMA IA 58 Pucará | 34 | 34 COIN Light Attack | upgraded to use 250lb SDB JDAMs and LJDAM purchased from the US |
| FMA IA 63 Pampa 40 | 40 | Multirole Light Attack | |
| Embraer EMB 312 Tucano | 48 | Combat Trainer | |
| Mirage 564 | Medium Range Bomber | ||
| A-4RM Fighting hawk | 34 | Ground Attack | phased out as the AMX-1 is replacing them. |
| Rafael D Block 90 | 12 | multi-role air superiority | Purchased from France, this was part of a larger arms deal including 28 Super Etendard and 12 Rafael D fighters. |
| Heron TP | 6 | recognize and battle damage assets.Purchased from Israel | |
| C-130J | 7 | light vehicles; troops; upgraded by the US in 2015. | |
| EADS C-295 | 12 | purchased from France in a military arms sale | |
| EADS C-235 | 4 | purchased from France in a military arms sale | |
| Fokker F28 Fellowship | 44 | Military supplies; paratroopers; | |
Modern Multi Role
36
Modern Strike
38
Combat Aircraft
74
| Helicopters | ||||
| UH-1 | United States | 38 | ||
| Mi-28N | Russia | 12 | ||
| SA Eurocopter Puma | France | 6 | ||
| Mi-17 | Russia | 6 | ||
| MD 500 Defender | United States | 6 | ||
| Z-11 Attack | China | 6 | ||
| Z-9 Harbin | China | 6 |
| Argentine Navy |
| 2010Officers 2300Non-commissioned officers 13,400Volunteer Troops 1,500TOTAL 17,200 | 2018Officers 12,600Non-commissioned officers 23,400Volunteer Troops 27,700TOTAL 63,700 |
1x Type 42 destroyer
ARA Hércules Is a Type 42 destroyer of the Argentine Navy or Armada de la República Argentina. She was transformed into a multipurpose transport ship with Pennant Number B-52 and commissioned to the amphibious force in 1999
1x Costa Sur class
ARA Bahía San Blas 2 X 100mm dual purpose guns
4x 127mm MLRS rocketsAmphibious landing ship able to launch AAVs, converted by the Argentine Navy. It can carry AAV landing vehicles or up to 1000 marines.3x Drummond class Corvette
ARA Drummond
ARA Guerrico
ARA Granville 4 x Exocet anti-ship missiles
1 x 100 mm dual purpose gun
4 x 40 mm anti-aircraft guns
2 x .50 cal machine guns
2 x 20 mm automatic guns
6 x 324 mm torpedo tubes The Drummond class is a large corvette which were based on a French class. The Drummond primary weapon is the 4 MM40 Exocet missiles. With supplies of Exocets reduced the Drummonds were refit in 2013 to fire Chinese C-805 missiles, which are Chinese copies of the Exocet.5x MEKO 360 Class
ARA Almirante Brown
ARA La Argentina
ARA Heroína
ARA Sarandí8 MM 40 Exocet SSM1
8-cell Albatros SAM (24 Aspide missiles)
1 5/54 DP4 twin 40 mm 70-cal. OTO Melara AA12.7 mm machine guns 2 triple 324 mm ILAS-2 ASW torpedo tubes (18 torpedoes tot.)’1 depth charge rack (9 depth charges)The Almirante Brown is a class (MEKO 360H2 type) of destroyers commissioned between 1983 and 1984 for the Argentine Navy. ARA Sarandí was the former flagship of the Argentine fleet .The MEKO 360 is a class of five destroyers built in Germany for the Argentine Navy. The MEKO 6x Espora Class Corvette
ARA Espora
ARA Rosales
ARA Spiro ;
Second Batch:
ARA Parker
ARA Robinson
ARA Gómez Roca4 x Aérospatiale MM 38 Exocet SSM
1 x 3/62 (76 mm) OTO Melara DP compact gun
2 x twin 40 mm 70-cal. OTO Melara (Breda Bofors) AA guns
2 x 12.7 mm machine guns
2 x triple 324 mm ILAS-3 ASW torpedo tubes (Whitehead AS-244 torpedoes, quantity n/a)The ships currently serve in the High Seas Fleet (“Flota de Mar”) of the Argentine Navy, based in Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, close to the city of Bahía Blanca, Argentina.Optional Mines1x Type 209 1100 class submarine
ARA Salta class 8 x 533 mm torpedo tubes Optional UGM-84 Harpoon integration 2x Type 214 class submarine
ARA Mendoza
ARA Avina 3x TR-1700 class submarine
ARA Santa Cruz
ARA San Juan
ARA Santa Fe 6 X 533 mm torpedo tubes fitted in 20072x Type 214
ARA Mendoza
ARA Avina 1x Orca class nuclear submarine
ARA Maldivians4x 533mm torpedoes;
4x 655mm torpedoes;
24x VLS launcher for DH-10 missile the first nuclear powered submarine constructed in South America, the Orca is a joint project between Brazil, the US and Argentina. The first submarine was constructed in Argentina for the ARAN and the next will be constructed for the Brazilian navy.2x Type 052C Luyang II
ARA Bariloche
ARA Rio Grande 48 HHQ-9 long-range surface-to-air missiles (S300SMU)
8 C-805 anti-ship / land attack cruise missiles
8 DH-10 land attack cruise missiles
8 AS-20 anti-ship / land attack cruise missiles
1× Type 210 100 mm dual purpose gun
2 30mm Type 730 close-in weapons systems
6 533 mm torpedo tubes
4 x 18-tube decoy rocket launcher
1x Z-9 ASW Helicopter
| Pacific Fleet | ARA Bariloche [Flagship] Guided Missile Air Defense DestroyerARA Drummond CorvetteARA Guerrico CorvetteARA Heroína ASW DestroyerARA Sarandí ASW DestroyerARA Espora CorvetteARA Rosales CorvetteARA Salta Fleet Patrol SubmarineARA Santa Cruz Fleet Patrol Submarine | |
| South Atlantic Fleet | ARA Rio Grande [Flagship] Guided Missile Air Defense DestroyerARA Hércules Amphibious Landing ShipARA Bahía San Blas Amphibious Assault ShipARA Almirante Brown ASW DestroyerARA La Argentina ASW DestroyerARA Parker CorvetteARA Robinson CorvetteARA Gómez Roca CorvetteARA San Juan Fleet Patrol SubmarineARA Santa Fe Fleet Patrol SubmarineARA Mendoza Fleet Patrol SubmarineARA Avina Fleet Patrol Submarine | |
| Antarctic Fleet | ARA Maldivians [Flagship] Nuclear Attack SubmarineARA Granville CorvetteARA Spiro Corvette |
| Argentine Army | ||||
| Origin | Inventory | Type | Note | |
| WZ551 | China | 4 | Armored personnel carrier | 6×6 wheeled APC, more ordered, will be used in UN peacekeeping in Haiti. |
| M113 | United States | 520 | Armored personnel carrier | Including variants (M577,M106,M548) |
| MOWAG Grenadier | Switzerland | 47 | Armored personnel carrier | 4×4 wheeled APC. |
| Alvis Tactica | United Kingdom | 9 | Armored personnel carrier | 4×4 wheeled APC. |
| AMX-13 VCPC | France | 30 | Armored personnel carrier | |
| VCPC Command vehicle | Argentina | 9 | Command | Command post version of the VCTP. |
| VCTP Infantry fighting vehicle | Argentina | 216 | IFV | IFV variant of the TAM Tank turret replaced with a turret mounted 20mm autocannon |
| Panhard AML-90 | France | 5 | Armored Car | |
| MaxxPro | Israel | 57 | MRAP | |
| Oshkosh M-ATV | USA | 16 | Armored Car | |
| Cadillac Gage Commando | USA | 43 | Armored Car | |
| SK-105 Kurassier | Austria | 118 | Light Tank | |
| AMX-13/105 | France | 56 | Light Tank | Being phased out in favor of the Patagon. |
| Patagon | Argentina | Light Tank | Locally produced light tank. Combines a SK-105 hull with an AMX-13 turret. | |
| TAM Medium tank | Germany/ Argentina | 236 | Medium Tank | Will be modernized by Elbit. |
| TAH Heavy Tank | Germany/ Argentina | ~4 Prototypes | Main Battle Tank | 180 planned developed based on the Leopard 2E and TAM. With L55 120mm Main Gun. Digital Data link and fire control. |
| Leopard 2E | Germany/Spain | 81 | Main Battle Tank | Sold from Spain Based on the Leopard 2A6, upgraded in 2016 with Trophy Active Defense |
| M114 155mm Howitzer 48 | United States | Howitzer | ||
| M101 105mm Howitzer 60 United States OTO Melara Mod 56 | United States | Howitzer | ||
| 105mm Howitzer 70 ItalyCITEFA Model 77 | Italy | Howitzer | ||
| 155mm Howitzer 109 Argentina CALA 30 | Argentina | Howitzer | ||
| AMX Mk F3 | France | Self-propelled howitzer | 155 mm gun on AMX-13 hull. | |
| SLAM VCTM | Germany/ Argentina | 50 | Self-propelled mortar | TAM variant carrying a 120mm AM-50 mortar. |
| SLAM VCLC | Argentina | 4 | Multiple rocket launcher | 105 mm multiple rocket launcher mounted on aVCCAM hull. |
| SLAM SAPBA | Argentina | 50 | Multiple rocket launcher | 127 mm multiple rocket launcher mounted on a FIAT 697 truck. |
| SLAM PAMPERO | Argentina | 4 | Multiple rocket launcher | 105 mm multiple rocket launcher mounted on a Unimog truck. |
| VCA Palmaria | Argentina /Italy | 19 | Self-propelled howitzer | 155 mm gun. Palmariaturret mated to a modified TAM hull. |
| ASTROS MLRS | Brazil | Multiple rocket launcher | 288mm and 300mm Long Range Rockets, and 300 km SSM. | |
| Oerlikon GAI B01 20 mm anti-aircraft gun | Switzerland | 220 | AAA | Skyguard Radar System |
| Bofors L60 40 mm anti-aircraft gun | Sweden | 250 | AAA | |
| Oerlikon L90 twin cannon 35 mm anti-aircraft gun | Switzerland | 35 | AAA | Skyguard Radar System |
| Roland Surface-to-air missile system | France | 8 | SAM | tactical air defense |
| Tango Surface-to-air missile system | Argentina/Brazil | 27 | SAM | low-medium air defense |
| S300U / HQ-25 | Russia /China | ~10 | SAM | long range air defense |
| Argentine Missile Force | ||||
| Range | Origin | Type | Inventory | |
| Mathogo | 5km | Local | Anti-tank missile | 550 |
| TOW | 7km | US | anti-tank missile | 1200 |
| Exocet | 120 km | France | anti-shipping missile | 50 |
| C-805 | 500 km | China | anti-shipping missile | 110 |
| DH-10 | 4000+ km | China | long range cruise missile Chinese copy of the BGM-109 Tomahawk | ~80 |
| AS-20 Kayak | 130 km | Russia / Venezuela | anti-shipping missile Chinese copy of the UGM-84 Harpoon | ~110 |
| AS-25K | 25 km | Local | SAM/ATGM local designed similar to a AGM-65 Maverick | 2100 |
| Alacran | 150km | Local | Single Stage Short Range Ballistic missile[SRBM] | ~10 |
| Condor I | 550km | Local | Single Stage Solid Ballistic Missile [MRBM] | ~4 |
| Condor II MIL | 1000km | Local | Two Stage Solid Medium Range Ballistic missile[MRBM] | ~5 |
| Condor III | 3500 km | Local | Two Stage Solid Intermediate Range Ballistic missile [IRBM] | ~3 |
| AVMT-300 | 300km | Brazil | cruise missile | 100 |
| Aspide | 45km | Brazil | SAM based on the AIM-7 Sparrow | 1200 |
| MSS 1.2 | 3km | Brazil | HEAT anti-tank | 3400 |
| Mokopa | 10km | South Africa | HEAT anti-tank | 850 |
UK Falklands Defense Force
| Ground | ||
| Challenge 2 | 12 | |
| Warrior IFV | 10 | |
| BsV Viking | 4 | |
| Foxhound MRAP | 24 | |
| Jackal | 18 | |
| Astute SSN | 2 | |
| HMS Clyde | River Class Patrol Boat | |
| HMS Dauntless | Type 45 Guided Missile Destroyer | |
| Trafalgar -class nuclear | ||
| RAF Projection | Planned [2018] | Current | Type | Info |
| Lighting GR1 | 36 | 0 | Multirole Strike | |
| Tornado GR4 | 36 | 96 | Strike/Bomber | |
| Typhoon F2 | 160 | 150 | Air Superiority/Multirole | |
| Airbus Atlas A400M | 8 | 5 | AWACS | |
| Airbus Voyager A330 MRTT | 8 | 0 | Aerial Tanker | |
| Raytheon Sentinel | 4 | 5 | JSTAR | |
| MQ-9 Reaper | 15 | 5 | Unmanned Drone | |
| BA Tranius | 28 | 8 | Unmanned Combat Drone | |
| Hawk T2 | 72 | 30 | Trainer/Light Strike |
UK Naval Task Force South –
| Ground Armor | ||
| Challenge 2 | 12 | |
| Warrior IFV | 10 | |
| BsV Viking | 4 | |
| Foxhound MRAP | 24 | |
| Jackal | 18 | |
| Astute SSN | 2 | |
| HMS Clyde | River Class Patrol Boat | |
| HMS Dauntless | Type 45 Guided Missile Destroyer | |
| Trafalgar -class nuclear | ||
| Planned | Current [2018] | Type | Info | |
| Lighting GR1 | 36 | 0 | Multirole Strike | |
| Tornado GR4 | 36 | 96 | Strike/Bomber | |
| Typhoon F2 | 160 | 150 | Air Superiority/Multirole | |
| Airbus Atlas A400M | 8 | 5 | AWACS | |
| Airbus Voyager A330 MRTT | 8 | 0 | Aerial Tanker | |
| Raytheon Sentinel | 4 | 5 | JSTAR | |
| MQ-9 Reaper | 15 | 5 | Unmanned Drone | |
| BA Tranius | 28 | 8 | Unmanned Combat Drone | |
| Hawk T2 | 72 | 30 | Trainer/Light Strike |