After back-and-forth negotiations, delays, and renegotiations, the Argentine Navy is getting closer to receiving its first P-3C Orion maritime surveillance and patrol aircraft, acquired from the Royal Norwegian Air Force. During an official visit yesterday by Defense Minister Luis Petri to the Mar del Plata Naval Base, it was Navy Chief Admiral Carlos Allievi himself who indicated that the arrival of the first aircraft in the country was imminent.
Nearly a year after signing the purchase agreement with the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency (NDMA) for the acquisition of four P-3 Orion aircraft (three Charly models and one November), the Argentine Navy and the Ministry of Defense have faced various challenges in recent months.
First, they encountered issues with payment installments that had not been made within the deadlines established by the agreement signed in October 2023, with the first payments recorded in December of last year. This situation forced the current administration to renegotiate several aspects of the original agreement, not only regarding payments and schedules but also addressing the second issue.
As Defense Minister Luis Petri noted, further negotiations had to be undertaken with Norwegian authorities and, by extension, with the United States, to ensure the operability of the Raytheon AN/APS-137B(V)5 radar installed on the aircraft. The Minister had previously stated: “Without considering this detail, the Orions would have been incorporated by Naval Aviation without the guarantee of keeping one of its essential tools for surveillance and control of the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone in service (or ensuring its longevity).”
With issues related to payments and aircraft equipment resolved, the Argentine Navy focused on the necessary preparation of the Orions in the United States. Admiral Allievi confirmed this in an interview with Zona Militar last July, stating: “…we have signed a contract for the P-3 Orions, which are currently undergoing maintenance in Tucson. They will finish the maintenance in Florida, and it is likely that we will receive the first P-3 in September.” He added, regarding which aircraft it was, that: “The first three are Charlie models. The last one is a November.”
Thus, during an official visit by the Defense Minister to the Mar del Plata Naval Base, where he was informed of the work, activities, and capabilities being developed by the Patrol Division, Admiral Allievi provided the latest updates on the incorporation process of the P-3C/N Orions during a press conference, detailing that this coming Sunday, September 1, the first Charlie model is scheduled to depart from the United States for Argentina, with its arrival in the country set for the following Monday.
The aircraft is expected to arrive at Almirante Zar Naval Air Base to be integrated into the structure of the Naval Aviation Exploration Squadron, a unit that will regain a capability it had lost due to the current unavailability of P-3B aircraft. Although no further details were provided, it is anticipated that once the first P-3C arrives in Argentina, an official incorporation ceremony will take place in the following days.
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