The incorporation of these aircraft marks a leap in maritime surveillance and the protection of national sovereignty
Compartir:
The Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, officially presented the two new P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft acquired by the Government of Javier Milei for the Argentine Navy, as part of the program to restore the control and defense capabilities of the Argentine Sea.
The incorporation of these aircraft, called "Atlantic Hunters," marks a qualitative leap in maritime surveillance and in the protection of national sovereignty over the South Atlantic.
The presentation ceremony was held at the Military Naval Air Station of Aeroparque, where the second P-3C Orion was formally incorporated into the Naval Aviation Command (COAN).
The event was led by Minister Petri and attended by the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Xavier Julián Isaac; the Chief of the General Staff of the Navy, Vice Admiral Carlos María Allievi; the Chief of the Argentine Army, Lieutenant General Carlos Presti; the Ambassador of Norway to Argentina, Halvor Sætre; and the Ambassador of the United States, Peter Lamelas.
El Gobierno de Milei presentó los dos nuevos P-3C Orion para la Armada Argentina
The new P-3C is part of an agreement signed with the Kingdom of Norway in 2023, which provides for the total delivery of four aircraft: three P-3C and one P-3N. These aircraft were previously operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force and refurbished before being delivered to Argentina.
With long-range flight capabilities, the P-3C Orion aircraft are equipped with sensors and high-precision radars, making them essential tools for ocean exploration, patrolling the Exclusive Economic Zone, and search and rescue (SAR) operations.
Luis Petri's speech
During his speech, Petri highlighted the importance of restoring these strategic capabilities for the country: "Today we can say that we are once again guarding, that we are once again surveilling, that we are once again deterring because a country without maritime exploration, a country without the ability to monitor its maritime coastline in real time, to navigate it with its own ship, is a country blindfolded."
La presentación de los aviones.
The minister also expressed his appreciation to the Kingdom of Norway for its cooperation: "I want to thank the Kingdom of Norway for its cooperation, which made it possible for this aircraft we are receiving today to arrive in our country. With Norway we share more than just an agreement; we share the same vision regarding the defense of the Atlantic and the need to protect the resources that belong to our people."
With the arrival of the second P-3C Orion, the Argentine Navy is taking a significant step toward modernizing its fleet and strengthening its presence in the South Atlantic, a strategic region both for its economic value and its geopolitical importance.
