Shortly after its international debut in Chile, the re-nationalized Córdoba aircraft factory has seemingly started making inroads into the market under its newest incarnation, Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA). On 19 April, company spokesman Horacio G. Viqueira released a press communiqué revealing that three Ministry of Defence contracts had just been issued to the company.
Assuring it a stable workload for years 2010-2011, the contracts are valued at Argentine Pesos 679 million (US $ 175 million) and are expected to result in continued Air Force aircraft and engine maintenance services (Contract #08); manufacture of 8 IA-63 Pampa Serie II airframes, re-engining of a further 8 aircraft and development of an upgraded version prototype (Contract #09) plus avionics upgrades por existing IA-58 Pucará airframes and development of a re-engined version prototype (Contract #10).
Further into the future, negotiations with the Ministry of Defence are expected to extend production and services until at least 2014 and comprise a number of prospects presently under evaluation. First among them is producing unspecified aircraft components for Embraer as well as entering a joint-venture with the Brazilian manufacturer to produce their KC-390 military cargo aircraft (see Christmas news brief).
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Next is a renewed attempt to place Pampa attack trainers in the export market, with talks purportedly under way with Uruguay and Chile. Lastly, FAdeA was appointed as counterpart to Chile’s Enaer in a government-to-government agreement which will “stimulate the possibility to develop a basic training aircraft… which will replace Argentine Mentors and Chilean Pillanes”.
Horacio Clariá, D. Kopac, Martín Kubo, Guillermo Landa and Gustavo Lepez contributed to this report, initially published in Aeromilitaria Argentina.
