Argentina has 'very small' budget to buy defense aircraft: minister
BUENOS AIRES - Argentina has few funds available to replace an outdated military fleet beyond buying 12 Beechraft Texan aircraft to train pilots, Defense Minister Julio Martinez told Reuters on Tuesday.
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"We are only buying training aircraft, and just a few, 12."
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The Beechcraft Texan planes will help replace 24 Embraer EMB-312 Tucanos that have been used in the air force training school for decades.
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"We will need 12 more, and then we need a lot of other aircraft, medium-sized transport and other kinds of planes," Martinez said.
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Asked if Argentina would need new aircraft to achieve Macri's goal of better patrolling borders with Paraguay and Brazil to stop drug flights, Martinez said the training aircraft
could potentially also be used for that purpose.
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Martinez also said Argentina did not have any immediate plans to purchase arms from abroad,
denying statements on Twitter from former President Fernandez (cuac) who said on Monday that Argentina sought to buy $2 billion of "sophisticated weapons of war" from the United States.
http://www.todayonline.com/world/argentina-has-very-small-budget-buy-defense-aircraft-minister
