Argentina closes capability gaps

On 3 September, the first of the four Norwegian Orion P-3C maritime patrol aircraft finally arrived in South America after being refurbished in the USA.

P-3C Orion in Buenos Aires, photo: Armada Argentina

Two weeks later, on 19 September, the maritime patrol aircraft with the new registration 6-P-57 was handed over to the Argentine Navy in Buenos Aires. As there is currently no long-range flight pattern available there, this capability - especially in conjunction with the Raytheon AN/APS-137 Synthetic Aperture Radar (contour detection by multiple surveying of the target) - is eagerly awaited in order to maintain surveillance of Argentina's immense economic zone in the South Atlantic. The Orions are sensibly stationed at the Almirante Zar naval air base in Trelew, halfway between Buenos Aires and Tierra del Fuego.