Along with the acquisition of Wheeled Armored Combat Vehicles (VCBR), another of the Argentine Army’s major reequipment programs is the incorporation of new medium utility helicopters. Over the last few years, various types of plans have been formulated, such as the receipt of proposals from companies, which established the acquisition of a new aircraft that allows a qualitative leap in terms of capabilities and technology. Although preliminary and under study, one of these proposals has recently been represented by Israeli firms, starring the UH-60L Black Hawk.
To date, various Israeli companies have established themselves as suppliers of equipment for the Argentine Army. Only a few examples should be listed such as the Program SIZE 2C-A2 carried out together with Elbit Systems or the acquisition of loitering munitions from the family HERO from the UVsion firm, to which must be added the recent proposal for Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles.
Israeli companies, taking advantage of the rapprochement and repositioning promoted by President Javier Milei with the United States and Israel, have been presenting plans and proposals in order to meet the Army’s requirements in multiple areas. One of the most interesting, taking advantage of various factors that come together both locally and internationally, is the possibility of incorporating helicopters from the Black Hawk family.
As previously reported, the United States Army plans to retire a total of 51 UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters for Fiscal Year 2025. Among the reasons given in mid-March is the necessary optimization of resources, along with the incorporation of new platforms.
In the case of the UH-60L we mentioned that: “The surplus Black Hawks of the US Army will be offered through the different programs that the Department of Defense maintains for the disposal of material and weapons, either through FMS (Foreign Military Sale) or EDA (Excess Defense Article). Major General Mac McCurry also explained that with the sale of the UH-60 it is expected to add resources, since each unit will be priced at approximately USD 2 million.”.
In this way, and taking advantage of this possibility, one of the proposals presented by Israeli companies is the acquisition of a batch of these Black Hawks, which would acquire the best cells and subject them to a program of overhaul and modernization in line with the requirements of the Argentine Army. The intention is to make ten (10) units in a first stage, and then advance with a second batch for the same number, seeking in this way to meet the operational requirements of the Aviation Command for the coming years.
To date, this is one of the possibilities that have been analyzed by the Army and the Ministry of Defense, while other less attractive proposals are also being evaluated. One of these would be based on the incorporation of the Black Hawk belonging to the Presidential Fleet, to which two more units would be added, whose version or condition was not clarified.
Although this plan would seek for the Army Aviation Command personnel to begin a process of familiarization with this new platform, various sources have indicated the concern expressed about this “option” which would act as a patch, while the comprehensive modernization plan that contemplates the acquisition of between ten and twenty units is stopped pending better economic conditions. This possibility is related to past acquisitions, such as the case of the AS332 Super Puma, which were acquired in tiny quantities and are currently out of service and awaiting replacement.
*Photographs used for illustration.
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