Will F-16 shoot down Tejas to win Argentina fighter aircraft deal?
By Girish Linganna | First Published Aug 1, 2023, 12:44 PM ISTWashington's desire to sell fighter jets to Argentina is a setback for China and India, as they have also submitted their proposals to provide fighter jets to the South American country. Reportedly, Russia has extended an offer to sell its MiG-35 fighter aircraft to Buenos Aires.
In 2021, Argentina's defence ministry decided to buy 12 new fighter jets for around $664 million. The United States is in a hurry to finalize a fighter-jet agreement with Argentina. They are offering the South American country used F-16 fighter jets in order to beat China and India's bids. As per a report from Argentinian media, the White House is pressuring the United States Congress to authorize the sale of 24 F-16 A/B Fighting Falcon fighter jets currently being used by the Royal Danish Air Force. The proposed deal from the US is estimated at a value of $700 million.
Washington's desire to sell fighter jets to Argentina is a setback for China and India, as they have also submitted their proposals to provide fighter jets to the South American country. Reportedly, Russia has extended an offer to sell its MiG-35 fighter aircraft to Buenos Aires.
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New Delhi has proposed its 4.5 generation Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, and Beijing has presented an offer of 15 JF-17 'Thunder Block' jets, which are a joint development with Pakistan.
During a recent four-day visit to India, Argentinian Defence Minister Jorge Enrique Taiana mentioned to Indian media outlets that Argentina is seeking fighter jets without any British components. This request comes as a result of the UK's limitations on defence exports to Argentina due to the ongoing dispute over the Malvinas Islands.
Taiana informed that the LCA Tejas includes 16 British components. However, it is not yet clear whether India has proposed to replace these parts in their offer.
Following the visit of the Defence minister, La Nación, an Argentine newspaper, reported that the Argentine Defense Forum (FAD) has been actively evaluating proposals for the F-16 A/B Fighting Falcon and the Chinese Chengdu JF-17 Thunder Block fighter jets.
According to the report, the F-16 has been deemed a 'more powerful aircraft', but if Argentina chooses to acquire the American-origin fighter jet, it will necessitate investments in upgrading airport infrastructure.
According to a former IAF pilot, the US military-industrial complex holds an advantage. Air Marshal M Matheswaran, a veteran of the Indian Air Force (IAF), told news agencies that the 'ruthless' American military-industrial complex has a competitive advantage over other contenders due to its extensive presence and influence in the global arms market.
SIPRI reported that the United States holds the title of the largest global weapons exporter, generating sales exceeding $204 billion in 2022. On the other hand, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh revealed that India's weapons sales reached a record high of $1.93 billion in 2022-23.
Matheswaran, currently serving as the President of Chennai-based think tank The Peninsula Foundation (TPF), commented that the US military-industrial complex is relentless. While bidding for the Argentine contract, the US might have considered its Global Strategic Partnership with India, but it won't compromise on promoting its defence exports to other nations.
The former IAF pilot emphasized that the F-16 fighter jets were not of the same size as either the LCA Tejas or the Chinese JF-17. Matheswaran stated that the LCA and JF-17 are of similar size, but the F-16 is larger and more costly.
A Challenging Decision Ahead for Argentina
According to Matheswaran, Argentina is now confronted with a "difficult" decision to select either the Chinese or the American fighter jets. As Argentina aims to enhance relations with other developing countries, it has been forming closer connections with China and India. The country is among those aspiring for BRICS membership," remarked the think-tanker.
As per the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), China has surpassed the US in recent years to become South America's primary trading partner. Argentina, along with other Latin American countries, has procured millions of dollars' worth of military equipment from Beijing, according to the CFR.
The 2016 'China Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean' indicated that Beijing would strengthen collaboration in military trade and military technology with the region.
India's relations with the region are flourishing, and it currently holds the position of Argentina's fourth-largest trading partner. The two nations upgraded their relations to a 'Strategic Partnership' in 2019 and also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation during the same year.
Both India and China have extended their support to Argentina at the UN Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24). This committee has called for the resumption of negotiations on the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands, a call that the UK has opposed until now. Currently, Argentina, facing financial challenges, is in negotiations for a much-needed bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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