The Argentine Navy and the United States signed a strategic military cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening surveillance and control of the South Atlantic, as part of an alliance promoted by the government of Javier Milei along with the U.S. Department of Defense.
The agreement includes the incorporation of two Textron B-360ER MPA aircraft, surveillance drones, advanced technological systems, and specialized training to enhance monitoring capabilities over the Argentine Sea and the Exclusive Economic Zone.
The United States will send two maritime patrol aircraft
The core of the agreement is the provision of two Textron B-360ER MPA aircraft, specifically configured for:
maritime surveillance
aeronaval reconnaissance
oceanic control
ISR operations (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)
The aircraft will arrive fully equipped with:
surface search radars
infrared sensors
satellite communications
automatic identification systems (AIS) for vessels
data links and operational command systems
The first aircraft will arrive in Argentina in December of this year and the second during 2027.
The goal: to strengthen control over the South Atlantic
The agreement directly aims to enhance Argentina's surveillance capacity over:
the Exclusive Economic Zone
jurisdictional waters
maritime traffic in the South Atlantic
The government considers it crucial to improve monitoring of foreign fishing fleets operating near the 200-mile limit, especially vessels from China linked to illegal fishing and the depletion of Argentine maritime resources.
There will also be drones and cutting-edge technology
The program also includes:
drones capable of operating from ocean patrol vessels
simulators for P-3C Orion aircraft
technology transfer
specialized military training
integrated maritime surveillance systems
