Recently, various mass media outlets in Argentina published a news story that has generated international repercussions: a supposed plan by President Javier Milei’s government to deliver five Super Étendard fighter aircraft owned by the Navy to Ukraine. This information, widely disseminated and picked up by various international specialized media, has turned out to be incorrect and has led to a series of misunderstandings in the defense sphere.
The reality of the situation is quite different. As we have reported in Zona Militar, bureaucratic issues continue to prevent the return to service of the Argentine Navy’s Super Étendard aircraft. These planes, acquired in 2019, have not yet been fully operational due to a series of administrative and technical obstacles that have not been resolved, making both their entry into service and even a transfer abroad unfeasible.
Reliable and high-level sources consulted by Zona Militar have confirmed that the information about the delivery of the Super Étendard to Ukraine is not true. In that regard, they have categorically denied any plan by the current Argentine government to transfer these fighter aircraft to another country and thereby potentially reduce the capabilities of the Naval Aviation Command, an area that seeks to strengthen its diminished capabilities despite resistance from other sectors or military forces.
This is not an isolated case of misinformation in the defense sphere. A recent example is the story about the transfer of Mi-171E helicopters from the Argentine Air Force to Ukraine. Initial reports suggested that these helicopters would be sent to Ukraine, but ultimately, this transfer never materialized. As reported in Zona Militar, the future of the Mi-171E helicopters is still undecided, and there is no official confirmation of their relocation.
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