Argentine jets to stay grounded as Ukraine deal falls through

It was suggested that Super Étendard fighter jets from Argentina would strengthen the Ukrainian army. However, at the last moment, the country's fighting with Russia took an unfavorable turn. We explain which machines were involved.

In June this year, Argentine media reported that local authorities, in agreement with the United States and France, had begun efforts to transfer five retired Super Étendard aircraft to Ukraine.

According to Infodefensa, the topic is now outdated. The command of the Argentine navy has decided to refurbish these aircraft and return them to service.

This turn of events suggests that Argentina has found a solution to problems that previously seemed insurmountable. It is unclear how, but the British embargo imposed during the Falklands War in 1982 was a significant issue.

This conflict brought fame to the Argentine Super Étendard. Despite the British advantage, the Argentine air force using Super Étendard inflicted severe damage on the enemy, including damaging the destroyer HMS Sheffield and the transport ship Atlantic Conveyor.

The Super Étendard is a single-seat attack fighter jet developed by Dassault Aviation. It was first flown in 1974 and entered service shortly after.

The aircraft measures 47 feet in length and has a wingspan of 31 feet. It can reach a speed of 733 mph. Its maximum takeoff weight is 26,455 lbs, with 4,630 lbs allocated to armament. The standard Super Étendard was equipped with a double-barrel DEFA 30 mm cannon. On its six hardpoints, the aircraft can carry additional weapons such as bombs and anti-ship missiles, including the AM39 Exocet and AS30L Laser.

In July this year, Argentine Defense Minister Luis Alfonso Petri supported Ukraine’s efforts to defend its territories against Russia. The equipment that could theoretically be sent to Ukraine also included Mi-171E helicopters. Recently, Argentina has made significant efforts to acquire F-16 fighter jets to modernize its outdated air force, which was ultimately achieved thanks to an agreement with Denmark.