'Libertador': The Argentine Army has begun the largest military exercise of the century

The Argentine Army (EA) has launched the military exercise "Libertador," one of the most important maneuvers it will carry out this year, with a full month of activities in the province of Chaco.

The opening ceremony took place in Campo de Mayo, where the force's authorities emphasized that the operation aims to mark a turning point in the Army's logistical deployment. Since the 1990s, there has not been a movement of troops, vehicles, aircraft, technological equipment, and means of transportation of this magnitude, so, under the Government of Javier Milei, it will be the most important exercise of the century.

The main objective of the operation is to assess the force's level of readiness in the event of a possible armed conflict or in emergency situations, as recently occurred in Bahía Blanca.

A notable aspect is that, for this deployment, Army units will be transferred from different provinces to Chaco, in terrain whose dimensions are similar to those of the combat zone in Ukraine.

The largest military exercise of the century

The scale and significance of the "Libertador" military exercise are evident when looking at the figures involved: 3,000 Army personnel will participate, nearly 50,000 food rations will need to be prepared, 300 vehicles will be in motion, 80 of them transported by rail in 40 freight cars, 480,000 liters of fuel will be consumed, and the maneuvers will last for 35 days.

One of the main purposes of "Libertador" is to strengthen the forces' ability to concentrate and deploy, which will require moving units 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) from the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) from La Pampa, and 1,300 kilometers (808 miles) from Córdoba. The operation will take place in a vast area covering 250 kilometers (155 miles) by 300 kilometers (186 miles).

In addition, Army engineers will have a high-performance mobile water treatment plant, since there will be no access to drinking water in the field. "This plant can purify up to 3,600 liters (951 gallons) per hour and up to 50,000 liters (13,208 gallons) per day," military authorities explained.

Other highlights of "Libertador" include the participation of the Granaderos as a security force, two Hercules C-130 aircraft from the Air Force, three IA-63 "Pampa" fighter jets for fire support, and the installation of a multidomain command post.

From Campo de Mayo, the incorporation of TAM 2C-A2 armored vehicles was also confirmed, while the Army's Intelligence area will support the commander with the use of artificial intelligence: "We will do this to assist the operational force, and the objective is to provide support for decision-making and to deepen aspects that may arise from planning."