Military aviation in Argentina traces back to the Paraguayan War when, on 8 July 1867, Staff Sergeant Roberto A. Chodasiewicz used an observation balloon during the battle of Humaitá. Since then, the army was the main driving force behind national aeronautical development. The use of enthusiastic students who relied on the selfless support of civil institutions and air clubs, saw the creation of the Military Aviation School at El Palomar in 1912. The establishment of the Army Aviation Service saw a great expansion of Argentine air power in the 1912–1945 period, and supported the development of civil aviation in Argentina. The creation of the first aviation units and the foundation of the Fábrica Militar de Aviones in the 1920s were the beginning of a process that lead to the creation of the Argentine Air Force in 1945, to which the Army transferred its aircraft and related installations.
Re-establishment
In 1956, Army Aviation was re-established within the Army and began a major expansion, incorporating new types of aircraft and opening new bases around the country. In 1965, using a Cessna U-17 they performed their first expedition to the South Pole. During the 1970s the service consolidated itself as an important branch of the Army receiving aircraft such as the Aeritalia G.222 transport which caused friction with the Air Force. The expansion plans continued in the early 1980s with the incorporation of the Agusta A109 utility and the Boeing CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. The dictatorship that took power in 1976 increased tensions with Chile which reached their highest point during the 1978 Operation Soberanía where the Army Aviation performed major deployments.
Falklands War
In 1982, the Military Junta invaded the Falkland Islands triggering a ten-week-long war against the United Kingdom. The Argentine Army Aviation deployed 2 CH-47 Chinooks, 3 Agusta A109, 6 SA330 Pumas and 9 UH-1Hs to the islands, where they performed 796 general support flights under harsh operating conditions. Their helicopters were also extensively used in Patagonia and the Army also took over the provincial police's MBB Bo 105s during the conflict. Six Army aviation members died in the war. Two army helicopters were shot down, six destroyed on the ground, and ten were captured. Some of these captured were used by British Army and other used as targets for RAF ground attack training.
Present Day
After the war, the Aerospatiale Super Puma was incorporated, mainly for Antarctica support duties operating from Navy's icebreaker ARA Almirante Irizar. In 1998, Argentina was granted Major Non-NATO ally status by United States President Bill Clinton and the Army Aviation began an expansive program that included the reception of OV-1 Mohawks and surplus UH-1H from the US Army. The US also authorized the delivery of 12 AH-1F Cobra gunships but the operation was halted by the Argentine Government. In the 1990s, the Aviation Army began its Unmanned aerial vehicle program, the Lipan series. In 2007, the Ministry of Defense evaluated the Chinese Changhe Z-11 and 40 are to be built. Also in 2007, the Army unveiled the indigenous Cicaré CH-14 Aguilucho scout prototype . A major update program is currently underway refitting the Hueys to the Huey II variant. In March 2010 it was announced the purchase of five Bell 206 for the Joint armed forces school. Army aircraft with tactical camouflage have adopted high-visibility yellow markings Ejército in order to encourage the national press to stop referring to them as belonging to the air force. In the 2014 celebration of the Argentine Army Aviation day, the following actions to improve capabilities were confirmed:
purchase of 1 Cessna Citation and 4 Grand Caravan aircraft
purchase of 2 Casa 212 aircraft
replacement of Mohawk by Diamond 42 aircraft
purchase of second hand Italian AB206 helicopters
upgrade of remaining UH-1 helicopters to Huey II standard.
Currently, Argentina has expressed interest in buying surplus US equipment and authorization granted by US government. This may involve Transport or Scout helicopters.
Organisation
Units and bases
The main airbase is located at Campo de Mayo where training and maintenance is done. The units based there are as follows:
The Argentine Army gets its pilots from two main sources. One is the officers who graduate from the Military College and then volunteer for the Army Aviator Course. This course lasts one year and takes place at either the Air Force Academy, in Córdoba, or the Army Aviation School, in Campo de Mayo, outside Buenos Aires. Since 2009, these two schools are the only training centers for pilots from the three armed services. The other source is civilian pilots who, after a ten-month course at the Military Academy, join the Army Aviation as 2nd lieutenants. While College-graduated officers are called “Army Aviators” and those coming from civilian life are “Army Pilots”, there are no specific technical differences between them. However, “Army Pilots” can only reach the rank of colonel. Also, “Army Aviators” retain their original branch and can be posted to their branch's units in case of need. “Army Pilots”, instead, can only serve in Army Aviation units or related positions, as they have no other capability.
Aircraft inventory
The Argentine Army Aviation inventory includes the following aircraft.
