The Argentine president, interviewed by The Financial Times, said that the acquisition of fighter jets is not a priority.
The president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, said that “Argentina has to allocate its resources to more important things than the purchase of military aircraft. We are in a very unequal continent, where there are no problems of war and peace is the common denominator.”
The president made these statements during his participation in The Global Boardroom, organized by the Financial Times. They occur in the last instances of analysis of the options considered by the Argentine Air Force (FAA), the JF-17, the F-16 or the Tejas, options in which Argentina sought to incorporate a squadron of no less than 18 aircraft. It was expected that by the first quarter of next year the FAA would deliver its recommendation to the Ministry of Defense for the political branch to make a final decision.
It is indisputable that, due to its vast size, the eighth largest country in the world, and the amount of resources, Argentina needs an air force capable of fulfilling its function of guarding its skies. Unfortunately, the FAA, like the rest of the armed forces, has suffered constant disinvestment since the end of the Falklands War, whether due to political decision, lack of strategic vision against military processes. This has directly affected various capabilities.