The FAA (Fuerza Aerea Argentina) has taken delivery of a number of reconditioned Douglas A-4B Skyhawks

mini DEFENCE

ARGENTINA'S REORGANISED AIR ARM

A REORGANISATION to bring its com­mand structure up to date has recently been completed by the

Argentine Air Force, Fuerza Aerea Argentina, and it is now in the process of re-equipment.

These moves follow a long period of neglect of all three armed Services under the Illia Government, which was replaced in 1966. The present re'gime is committed to an overhaul of the nation's defences and first priority was given to the Navy in 1967 so that new surface craft, doubtless considered necessary due to an increase in the Argentine's terri­torial limits, could be purchased.

Surprisingly, in view of integration trends elsewhere, there does not appear to be any formal inter-Service command structure. The new organisation of the FAA takes the Air Force Staff as the highest military authority for the restruc­tured Service, and under this there are five executive commands: Air Operations, Supply, Personnel, Air Regions and Research and Development.

It is the Air Operations Command around which military activity centres. There are five Air Brigades within it, and these are further divided into two or three Groups (each roughly equiva­lent to a squadron).

The five air brigades include two combat brigades, N o IV, with F-86F Sabres, of which some 30 were procured from the United States in 1960, and N o VII, with 25 A-4B Skyhawks and a number of Meteor 4s. It had been hoped to replace the Meteors completely with a ibatch of 50 Skyhawks, but tfiis order was halved due to the reserve commitments of the US Navy. The reciprocal aid agreement with the United States which has helped the new Government in its plans for the armed forces has not extended to the provision of the super­

sonic aircraft which Argentina wants. There have, of course, been several instances, notable involving Peru and Venezuela, of South American countries which wanted supersonic aircraft being refused American types, and at the same time finding State Department pressure on Great Britain and France to support the US line.

The AAF transport brigade has taken over the duties previously performed by the Secretariats of Public Works and

Agriculture, and also the Air Force's civilian transport duties which had been operated by LADE (Lineas Aereas del Estado) on domestic services, mainly with DC-3s, DC-4s and DC-6s, and with other carriers on international and regional routes.

The air transport fleet has. in fact, received the FAA's latest aircraft, five D H C Twin Otters, and also a number of Doves, Beech 18s, Bristol Freighters and 20 Guarani II ten-seat turbo-prop light transports of native manufacture. Interest has been shown in the purchase of some Hawker Siddeley 748s.

Additional DC-3s and C-47s operate with the Antarctic Group, along with a handful of DHC Beavers and Otters. Grumman HU-16B Albatross amphibians and Sikorsky S-55 helicopters make up the rest of the operational strength.

Air Operations Command also has a launching centre for guided missiles at Chamical, in La Rioja province.

A A F Supply Command is responsible for all equipment procurement and dis-

Above, o number of Gloster Meteor IVs are still used for fighter-bomber duties by the Argentine Air Force. Below, a Grumman HU-/66 Albatross, employed on search and rescue duties