In a bilateral meeting held in Argentina, the Minister of National Defense, Luis Petri, had a discussion with his Paraguayan counterpart, retired General Óscar González, about the benefits that Paraguay could gain from the radar capabilities provided by the Argentine industry.
In the transnational fight against organized crime, Petri and González agreed that both countries should pursue a common goal, especially considering the extensive kilometers that both armed forces need to cover, with common land and water borders.
With the enactment of Law 7151/2023, which establishes mechanisms for the purchase and implementation of a radar system for surveillance and protection to cover and safeguard the entire national airspace for Paraguay’s territorial defense, Minister González received an offer from INVAP S.A. to radarize the entire airspace.
In a conversation with Zona Militar, Minister González stated that there is still no opening date for the public tender, but they continue to receive offers from different countries, offers that are presented not only to him but also to the generals of the Air Force and the Armed Forces.
It is worth noting that General Julio Fullaondo of the Paraguayan Air Force expressed the intention to have a surveillance and aerospace control system that includes the acquisition of nine 3D radars for complete coverage of Paraguayan territory at an altitude of 2,000 feet.
The project presented by the Paraguayan Air Force included the acquisition of these nine radars and the modernization of the interception fleet with the purchase of Super Tucanos, something that Minister González has currently ruled out, emphasizing the priority of acquiring the radars first.
“We must buy the radars that are useful; we have to buy exactly what matters to us”, emphasized González in the conversation with Zona Militar.
Regarding INVAP’s offer, Minister González agreed with Minister Petri’s view: “Strategically, it would be beneficial for us to have these radars because they would be compatible systems between both countries”. Additionally, Petri and González continued to set the agenda for cooperation between the two countries. President Santiago Peña also extended an invitation for Minister Petri to visit Paraguay soon to further strengthen ties.
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