Defense now says it’s not just looking to buy warplanes from China

“The Ministry of Defense informs that by means of an authorization note for public credit operations, it requested the inclusion in the 2022 budget of the authorization to manage a credit in the amount of 664 million dollars for the acquisition of multi-purpose combat aircraft, for the surveillance and control of the airspace, ”indicates a press release published on Tuesday by the portfolio headed by Jorge Taiana.

“Likewise, this ministry specifies that it has not been issued concerning the purchase of supersonic airplanes of any origin and is in the technical, economic and financial evaluation phase of five alternatives “, added.

With this debut, Taiana tries to correct a serious error – still of uncertain origin – in the submission of the 2022 national finance law to the National Congress by the Ministry of the Economy. This budget contains the specific intention to purchase a fleet of 12 Chinese fighter jets across Pakistan. The JF-17 Thunder Block III.

Bugle and the international media, as well as all the sites specializing in military affairs, have echoed the government’s plan to bring into the country for the first time the plane that China, among other countries, is offering.

Indeed, the national budget calculation sheet, published as evidence in this note, specifies that the The requested “Funding Destination” is the “JF / 17 Thunder Block III Weapons System Acquisitions Project. (plus $ 20 million in infrastructure funds) ”, which leads to $ 664 million if we add the total of these warplanes that would be intended for the Air Force.

A military spokesperson told the newspaper on Monday that “the purchase of a Pakistani Chinese fighter does not imply subordination to the country of origin. I do not think it is that serious.”

The news even alarmed the United Kingdom where, as in Washington, we are wary of China. But not only because of the growing presence of Asian power in the region, but also because there is a sovereignty conflict with London over the islands of the South Atlantic, including the Malvinas.

An official source explained to Bugle that although they are investigating what happened, the Defense Ministry has sent the request to have the aircraft “unmarked” as in the rest of the Defense Articles requested for 2022 but when they have put together the form in the budget, someone added only the Chinese brand, which is a co-production of a plane with Pakistan.

That is to say, the Defense sent it and that is how it should be presented with the various options. The problem is, they let the information grow, which is a big deal because what’s on the list is official and it bothered other bidders.

Taiana’s team did not wish to specify what would be the “five alternatives” referred to in Tuesday’s press release. But we know that next to the offers of planes from China, there are others from Russia, the United States, Israel and India, for example.

As soon as you read the 2022 Budget, other curiosities emerge in Defense plans. Who is asking US $ 320 million for the purchase of wheeled armored vehicles; others US $ 195 million for the construction of a polar logistics vessel; and others US $ 30 million for the purchase of rescue helicopters.

In addition, the Defense is planning a loan for 136.4 million euros to put in helicopter service and upgrade for federal security forces and 150.4 million euros for the acquisition of a patroller.

Regarding the purchase of airplanes in the Air Force, they told Clarin that what they are asking for is “the incorporation of a squadron of versatile fighters, to ensure the surveillance and control of the air force. airspace”.

They said that in current cases of initial analysis, “an operational technical requirement is made, in which up to five options are presented regardless of origin or origin, to perform a comparative study in which all the capacities and factors to be analyzed are put., which are linked to the acquisition of a system which will be in the Force for several decades. “