Re: New interceptors for the Argentine Air Force?
Thank you for the vote of confidence Mig. However, I do not trust the Chilean Government. They showed their true colours when they supported the English during the 1982 war and mentioned previously the Chilean and English claim over the Antarctic overlap those of Argentina.
Chile also has 48 nice F-16s plus an additional 12 being purchased from Holland. The 60 plus F-16s and no match for a handful of A-4AR and possibly so Mirage F-1.
Peru has always been a good ally of Argentina, but its squadron of Mig-29 and squadron of Mirage 2000 will not last long against so many F-16s in a war of attrition. Therefore the only option for either Argentina or Peru is a first strike scenario and hit the air force on the ground. However, Chile could also perform a similar first strike scenario and render both opposing air force useless.
You are correct in stating that Argentina needs to begin co producing and produce transport and civilian aircraft in order to have funds to spend on R&D. Just like Brasil is doing
Now i see.
Mirage, che, let me explain you my point.
As a Latin american i think we have been divided, in two main Areas, NAFTA and UNASUR.
Mexico is in North America as such i think even we are Latin american geopolitically we are north Americans.
In my opinion Chile and Argentina are UNASUR, in few words South America, part of a united South America.
While i agree, at this moment Chile has a better equipped air force, the likeliness they will used against Peru or Argentina is too small.
Brazil, in fact is not worried about its South American neighbors, why? because none has the real capability to defeat Brazil or make a long attrition war.
To start, our nations lack a defense industry to remain fighting many years, once we deplete the ammunition in one or two months we can not fight.
China can fight for years a conventional war since they can make from tanks to fighter aircraft, Russia, England the US can do the same even Japan or India can do it.
In South America only Brazil is close to do that but in very few areas, still an Embargo will limit Brazil.
So in any war between Latin american powers they are brief skirmishes lasting weeks or very few months.
Any Embargo to Chile will eliminate their military capability once their providers decide the war is over.
In the middle east this has been obvious.
Chile lacks the political support to bring most of South America against Argentina
So in my opinion a none South american threat is more of concern, you can see that Brazil is building a nuclear Submarine, in 1982, nuclear submarines were the reason the 25 de Mayo stayed in port, just consider that if the 25 de Mayo would have been able to operate, the British would had lost any superiority in the air even more it would had allowed Argentina to build air strips in the Malvinas and this would had allowed to keep the British aircraft away from the islands .
This is why China has aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines and why Brazil is building nuclear Submarines to protect the Sao Paulo their only aircraft carrier among other things.
If Argentina is really serious about defense you need tech transfers and programs that combine the budgets of South american nations.
Brazil is doing that perfectly, because that is the only way Embraer can build KC-390.
Argentina sooner or later will either buy Brazilian aircraft rather than just a few used fighters, is possible the JF-17 is a way of getting some tech transfers to use later as a bargain tool once Brazil has the ability of create fighter aircraft.
Is very likely in 2030 Brazil will be able to build jet engines for manned aircraft, and this will allow them to build a fighter like the J-10 or MiG-29.
Today Brazil builds jet engines just for UAVs or cruise missiles, but in a decade they could do it for light jet aircraft like their Phenom.
