According to our field and bibliography research, close to 75 individual exercises, simulations or training sessions accumulating at least 329 training days were recorded during the calendar year, 2010. Unsurprisingly, our (partial) statistics indicate that close to half of the total training time went into internal exercises with only one service participating (44%), including minor contributions by paramilitary services, the Coast Guard and the National Gendarmerie. Cooperative training appeared to steer towards the international scene as combined exercises (involving national and foreign forces) took up 29% of time while joint exercises (two or more national services) was last with 26% of the time spent on the field. While this difference may seem scarce, it should be noted that the international segment lost close to 35 training days when Congress failed to approve the timely deployment of Argentine Air Force troops and aircraft for two large-scale exercises in Chile (Cooperación I, October) and Brazil (Cruzex V, October-November).
Even though its two most important exercises of the year failed to see fruition (see above), Air Force managed to lead two combined, one joint and one internal named exercises: Valkyiria III (Joint Combat Search and Rescue, Mendoza, April), Rio III (Argentine-Uruguayan border patrol, May/June), Tanque 2010 (Uruguayan fighters refuelling practices, August) and Icaro III (Dissimilar Air Combat Training, Reconquista, September). Army internal exercises tested a variety of capabilities where aviation elements are now an integral component of the service’s force structure, while joint manoeuvres saw a meaningful increase in paratrooper live training. But Navy was probably the most successful of all three services because they managed to test their different capabilities in a good number of internal readiness tests, a few joint exercises with other armed services and in half a dozen combined events, including classical Gringo Gaucho/Southern Seas (deck qualification on an US Navy aircraft carrier), UNITAS (multinational naval cooperation), Fraterno (Argentine/Brazilian naval cooperation), Panamax (Panama Canal Zone protection) and Atlasur (South Atlantic nations naval cooperation).
The data base
The following list contains the first edition of our 2010 Argentine Exercises Index (“Project ARGEX”), a synthetic and admittedly incomplete catalogue of Argentine military training events involving aircraft from the armed and paramilitary services. Should you find that the table below is incomplete or incorrect in any of its entries, please don’t hesitate to contact us so as to improve our information quality for a future updated version (you may contact us by entering your comments below or via Facebook).
| Date | Name | Description | Participating air units, aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17-19 Feb | Paratrooper training by IV Para Brigade subunits in La Mezquita (Córdoba). | FAA/EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 08-10 Mar | Gringo Gaucho (Southern Seas) + Passex 2010 | Carrier qualification and naval cooperation training on board aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson transiting through Argentine territorial waters. | ARA: EA2H (Sea King), EA2S (Turbo Tracker), EA32 (Super Etendard). USN (Greyhound, Hawkeye, Seahawk, Super Hornet). |
| 16-19 Mar | Paratrooper training by IV Para Brigade subunits in La Mezquita (Córdoba). | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules). | |
| 22-30 Mar | Air assault training in Campo de Mayo (Buenos Aires). | EA: B Helic Asal 601 (Huey). | |
| Early Apr | Assorted special forces and air assault training in Mazaruca (Entre Ríos). | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| Apr | Air assault training in Campo de Mayo (Buenos Aires). | EA: B Helic Asal 601 (Huey). | |
| 01-23 Apr | Naval special forces arctic training in the Ushuaia area (Tierra del Fuego). | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules, Fellowship). | |
| 06-09 Apr | Assorted combat procedures and command post training by XII Jungle Brigade in Misiones. | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 07-09 Apr | Inspector General review to Army aviation units and air disaster recovery simulation in Campo de Mayo (Buenos Aires). | EA (flying units/aircraft unspecified). | |
| 08 Apr | Field training for VI Mountain Brigade in Mendoza. | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 12-13 Apr | Assorted air mobility and air assault training in Tartagal (Salta). | EA: Sec Av Ej M5 (Huey). | |
| 13-21 Apr | Valkyria III | Combat Search and Rescue training in Mendoza. | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules, Fellowship), II Br Aé (Friendship), III Br Aé (Pucará), IV Br Aé (Pampa, Lama), VII Br Aé (Bell 212, Hughes 369), IX Br Aé (Twin Otter, Saab 340), BAM Morón (Seneca), GGE (Cessna 206). EA: Units not noted (Huey, Lama). |
| 13-15 Apr | Assorted special forces and air assault training in the Junín (Buenos Aires) area. | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 26-30 Apr | Assorted combat training by XII Jungle Brigade in San Javier and Profundidad (Misiones) and El Colorado (Formosa). | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 26-29 Apr | Anfibio I/2010 | Amphibious operations training in the Base Baterías (Buenos Aires) range. | ARA: EA2H (Sea King), EA2S (Turbo Tracker), EA32 (Super Etendard). |
| Late Apr | Hi-line extraction training by submarine and a rotary wing forces, 20 NM South of Claromecó (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA2H (Sea King). | |
| May | Verificación grado alistamiento | Readiness test for corvettes ARA Gómez Roca and Espora in Faro Rincón (Buenos Aires). | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| May | Pre-Anfibio II/2010 | Amphibious operations training in the Base Baterías (Buenos Aires) range. | ARA: EA2H (Sea King), EA2S (Turbo Tracker), unit not specified (Turbo Porter). |
| May | Bermejo | Assorted training by XII Jungle Brigade in between Lucio Mansilla and El Colorado (Formosa) and General San Martín (Chaco). | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 10-12 May | Anti-aircraft artillery training in Tres Arroyos (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA32 (Super Etendard, unconfirmed). FAA: VI Br Aé (Mirage/Finger/Dagger/Mara, variant not specified). | |
| 13-15 May | Paratrooper training by IV Para Brigade in La Mezquita (Córdoba). | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules). | |
| 18 May-02 Jun | UNITAS LI (Argentine Phase/Fase Argentina) | Naval training in Argentine territorial waters between Faro Rincón, Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires) and Buenos Aires. | ARA: EA1H (Alouette, Fennec), EA2H (Sea King), EA2S (Turbo Tracker), EA32 (Super Etendard), EA6P (Orion). Brazilian Navy (Sea Lynx). Mexican Navy (Panther). USAF (Hercules). USN (Orion, Seahawk). |
| 28 May-03 Jun | Fraterno XXVIII | Naval training between Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). | ARA: EA1H (Alouette, Fennec). Brazilian Navy (Esquilo, Super Lynx). |
| 30 May-11 Jun | Joint Chiefs of Staff Land Operations Command readiness test and review for Army I, II, IV, VIII, IX and X brigades. | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 31 May-09 Jun | Rapid reaction forces training integrating air and mechanised assets in Arana (Buenos Aires). | EA: B Helic Asal 601 (Huey). | |
| 31 May-04 Jun | Río III | Air traffic and air defence training simulating counter-narcotics and smuggler-interception flights crossing the River Uruguay frontier. | FAA: BAM Morón (Dakota, Seneca), VII Br Aé (Bell 212), IX Br Aé (Twin Otter). Uruguayan AF (Baron, Cessna 206, Dauphin, Dragonfly, Pucará, Turbo Trainer). |
| Jun | Verificación grado alistamiento | Readiness test for corvettes ARA Robinson and Espora, destroyer Sarandí and transport Patagonia in Faro Rincón (Buenos Aires). | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| Jun | Submarine warfare training near Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires). | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| Jun | Inalaf V | Naval training in Chilean territorial waters. Exercise was expected to last up to 13 days; but is believed to have been cancelled. | ARA, Chilean Navy (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| Jun | Pre-Aurora Austral IV? | Rapid reaction forces training, contributing to preparation of an Argentine/Chilean combined force (“Southern Cross”), which was to be made available to the United Nations. | ARA, EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| Jun | Passex | Naval training involving French frigate Chevalier Paul and Argentine corvette ARA Drummond, near Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires). | ARA, French Navy (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| Jun | Naval Aviation deployment to Trelew (Chubut). | ARA: EA1H (Fennec), EA2H (Sea King), EA2S (Turbo Tracker), EA32 (Super Etendard), EA6M (Orion). | |
| Jun | Deck landing and take off training from destroyer ARA Sarandí, near Comandante Espora (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA2H (Sea King). | |
| Jun | Rescue swimmers training in Puerto Belgrano (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA2H (Sea King). | |
| Jun | Air refuelling training off Comandante Espora (Buenos Aires). A second training could have taken place later in the year. | ARA: EA32 (Super Etendard). FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules). | |
| Jun | Anti-aircraft artillery training in the Mar Chiquita range (Buenos Aires). | FAA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| Jun | Final navigation for Joint Military Pilots Training Course, departing from Córdoba and staging through 13 Argentine provinces. | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules), EAM (Tucano). | |
| 14-18 Jun | Ajax | Air supply and medical evacuation training operating from Paraná (Entre Ríos). | EA: B Helic Asal 601, Sec Av Ej 2 (Huey). FAA: I Br Aé (Fellowship, Hercules), II Br Aé (Friendship), V Br Aé (Fighting Hawk), VI Br Aé (MIrage/Finger), VII Br Aé (Bell 212). |
| 28 Jun-02 Jul | Paratrooper training by IV Para Brigade in Quebrada La Cancha, Los Hornos, Yacohana, La Tapera, El Durazno, Chajá Centro, El Talar and Las Ochoa (Córdoba). | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules). | |
| 02-05 Jul | Final navigation for naval pilot trainees, operating from Trelew (Chubut). | ARA: ESAN (Turbo Mentor). | |
| Jul-Aug | Intercambio Sur 2010 | Naval training in Argentine or Peruvian territorial waters. Scheduled to last up to 13 days, the exercise is believed to have been cancelled. | ARA, USN, Brazilian, Chilean, Peruvian navies (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| Aug | Door-mounted machinegun gunner practice training in Punta Tejada (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA1H (Alouette, Fennec). | |
| Aug | Search and rescue training and ship collision simulation on the River Plate. | PNA: EAR (Dauphin). | |
| 05-07 Aug | Field verification training for mountain troops in and around San Martín de los Andes (Neuquén). | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 16-25 Aug | Panamax 2010 | Naval training for multi-national defence of the Panama Canal. | ARA, USN, Belice, Brazilian, Canadian, Chilean, Colombian, Dominican Republic, Ecuadorean, Guatemalan, Honduran, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Salvadorian, Uruguayan navies (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 20 Aug-03 Sep | Special forces field training in the Puna region (Salta). | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 23-27 Aug | Tanque 2010 | Air refuelling training off Durazno (Uruguay). | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules). Uruguayan AF (Dragonfly). |
| 24-26 Aug | Basic special operations (joint course) training in Córdoba. | FAA, EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 20-29 Sep | Ícaro III | Dissimilar air combat training in Reconquista (Santa Fe) in preparation for exercise Cruzex V. | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules), II Br Aé (Friendship, Learjet), III Br Aé (Pucará), IV Br Aé (Pampa), V Br Aé (Fighting Hawk), VI Br Aé (Mirage/Finger), VII Br Aé (Bell 212). |
| 21 Sep-08 Oct | Aurora Austral IV | Rapid reaction forces training, integrating Argentine Army and Navy troops with a Chilean staff in preparation of the combined force, “Southern Cross”. | ARA, EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 22-30 Sep | Field training for XI Mechanized Brigade somewhere in Southern Patagonia. | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 23-24 Sep | Anfibio II/2010 | Amphibious operations training in the Base Baterías (Buenos Aires) range. | ARA: EA1H (Alouette), unit not specified (Turbo Porter). |
| 27 Sep-07 Oct | Cold weather survival training for naval forces in Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego). | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 03-16 Oct | Cooperación I | Disaster relief training in the X and XI Regions, Southern Chile. FAA was scheduled to take part in the training, but lack of congressional approval prevented timely deployment of troops abroad. | Bolivian, Brazilian, Canadian, Chilean, Colombian, Dominican Republic, Ecuadorean, Panamanian, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Uruguayan, US air forces participated. |
| 05-07 Oct | Anti-aircraft artillery training in the Mar Chiquita range (Buenos Aires). | FAA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 05-06 Oct | Hi-line extraction training by submarine and rotary wing forces, near Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA2H (Sea King). | |
| 12-15 Oct | Anfibio III/2010 | Amphibious operations training in the Base Baterías (Buenos Aires) range. | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 12 Oct | Verificación grado alistamiento No.15 | Readiness test for corvette ARA Rosales and transport ARA Ingeniero Krause, near Bahía Blanca (Buenos Aires). | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 13 Oct | Paratrooper training for Border Guard special operations forces in Mercedes (Buenos Aires). | GNA (Ecureuil, Turbo Porter). | |
| 22-29 Oct | Medical evacuation and care training for naval forces in Puerto Belgrano (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA1H (Alouette). | |
| 23-30 Oct | Guaraní | Land forces integration training in Candelaria, Fachinal, San José, Apóstoles, Profundidad, Cerro Azul, Alem and San Javier (Misiones). | EA, Brazilian Army (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 25-26 Oct | Verificación grado alistamiento No.16 | Readiness test for destroyer ARA Almirante Brown, corvette ARA Espora and transport ARA Ingeniero Krause, in Punta Tejada (Buenos Aires). | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 26 Oct-11 Nov | Atlasur VIII | Naval training in Argentine territorial and international waters between Bahía Blanca and Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA1H (Alouette), EA2S (Turbo Tracker), EA32 (Super Etendard), EA6V? (Super King Air). Brazilian, South African, Uruguayan navies (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 28 Oct-19 Nov | Cruzex V | Dissimilar air combat training from Brazilian air bases in the states of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba and Pernambuco. FAA was scheduled to take part in the training, but lack of congressional approval prevented timely deployment of troops abroad. | Brazil AF (Tiger II, Mirage 2000, AMX, Super Tucano, ERJ(AEW), Huey, Blackhawk, Super Puma, C-295, Hercules, Boeing 707, Bandeirante). French AF (Mirage 2000, Rafale). Uruguay AF (Dragonfly, Pucará). USAF (F-16, KC-135). |
| Nov | Field training for IX Mechanized Brigade somewhere in Northern Patagonia. | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 03-04 Nov | Verificación grado alistamiento No.18 | Readiness test for corvette ARA Parker in Puerto Belgrano (Buenos Aires). | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 08-12 Nov | Ceibo 2010 | Land forces training in Colonia del Sacramento (Uruguay). | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 08-12 Nov | Respuesta Inmediata 2010 | Disaster-relief training in Caucete (San Juan). | FAA: IV Br Aé (Lama). |
| 09-18 Nov | Unca | Naval Aviation deployment to Tierra del Fuego Province. | ARA (participating units/aircraft specified as “all units”). FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules, Fellowship). |
| 10-13 Nov | Yamana VI | Amphibious operations training in the Río Grande and Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) area. | ARA: EA1H (Alouette, Fennec), EA2H (Sea King), EA2S (Turbo Tracker), ESAN (Turbo Mentor) |
| 10-16 Nov | Verificación grado alistamiento No.17 | Readiness test for corvette ARA Parker, transiting between Puerto Belgrano and Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires). | ARA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 15-19 Nov | Military paratrooper (joint course) training in Córdoba. | FAA, EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 29 Nov-02 Dec | Puma | Final field training for IV Para Brigade in the Calchaquí valleys area (Tucumán and Catamarca). | FAA, EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
Sources: Aeromag, Aeromundo, Argentine Ministry of Defence (official), Armada Argentina (official), Aviación Argentina, EDEFA/Defensa, Diario 3, Ejército Argentino (official), El Acontecer, Fuerzas Aeronavales, Gaceta Marinera and La Voz del Pueblo.
Acknowledgements: Esteban G. Brea, Tomás Charrás, Martín Kupat, Gustavo Lepez, Andrés Rangugni and Pablo Benveniste contributed to this report.
