Super Etendard aircraft bought in France go to Bahia

Adrián Luciani

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The ship carrying the five state-owned Super Etendard Modernized (SEM) aircraft has left France for the port of Bahía Blanca.

With the aircraft were also shipped in the cargo ship "Lily Auerbach" many spare parts, racing and a simulator for training and qualification of pilots.

It is estimated that the vessel will be moored at the Patagonia Norte multi-purpose wharf at Ingeniero White on May 10th. Then all the material will be transferred to Captain Espora's air base.

President Mauricio Macri finally decided on this purchase, which experienced constant delays at the end of last year.

The five modernized Super Etendard aircraft have been shipped to France and tomorrow they will travel to Argentina. In addition, the spare parts and the simulator will arrive for the training and qualification of our pilots. pic.twitter.com/6DuW2Eznbi

– Ministry of Defense (@MindefArg) April 17, 2019

The Argentine state has had to pay $ 15 million for the purchase of the five used aircraft and it will now have to invest another $ 2 million to put them in operating conditions.

This re-equipment becomes a palliative for the decimated naval aviation and makes it possible to remove doubts as to its continuity, fueled by its possible incorporation into the air force as part of a restructuring plan.

The Super Etendard was designed by Dbadault Aviaton for the French Navy and started operating in 1978. They retired from active service in mid-2016.

Unofficially, it was learned that the upgrades received by the five French aircraft would allow Argentine pilots to take advantage of modern navigation and attack systems that improve the ability to conduct night missions.

It was learned that, among the equipment acquired, there were, in addition to several batches of spare parts, ten used reactors and other SEM equipment that could be relocated to several of the 11 Super Etendards that still have naval Espora.

Unlike the few remaining flight hours of aircraft now purchased from France, many of the existing units in the country were virtually unutilized and, if they can be commissioned, will have a long life.

Two years after its incorporation into the Navy, the Super Etendard had a remarkable job in 1982 during the Malvinas War. With only five Exocet missiles available, they managed to sink the destroyer "Sheffield" and the container ship "Atlantic Conveyor".

Until today, it is still unclear whether the fifth missile used in the Malvinas was able to damage the aircraft carrier "Invincible". It is precisely this version that is belied by the English and ratified by the Argentine Army.

Serious difficulties

Last February, construction of the first of three ocean patrol vessels for surveillance in the sea of ​​Argentina began in France. To these will be added a used part that will be reconditioned.

Beyond these purchases, which were about to be suspended last year due to the devaluation and the economic crisis, the Navy of Argentina, like other forces and A large part of the national administration, faces serious budgetary difficulties.

This extreme crisis has been such that, to give just one example, several employees of the base of Puerto Belgrano must wear the toilet paper that they use because of a lack of resources .