Results from our field and bibliography research indicate that 28 individual exercises, simulations or training drills accumulating at least 221 training days were recorded during the calendar year, 2005. Substantiating our statement that this was a rather “international” military training year, 57% of the field time was ostensibly spent on combined exercises; with 32% going to internal drills and only 11% invested in joint practice. Bearing in mind that our figures are our own rough estimates, Navy appears to have exploited the largest share of training time by participating in 69% of the total days identified above, with Air Force intervening in 30% and Army in only 17%; while paramilitary services contributed a mere 0,5%. A few cancellations were also noted in the second half of the year and affected air refuelling drills with the Uruguayan Air Force (Tanque), tri-service peace forces training (Armas para la Paz), paratrooper training with the Brazilian Air Force and Army (Duende) and a sea search and rescue simulation also with Uruguayan counterparts.
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Brazilian Air Force video depicting an EMB-326 Xavante (presumably AT-26 4426) trainer/fighter intercepting INAC PA-A-34 Seneca PG-323 simulating a “suspect” cross-border flight in exercise “Plata III” (video: Força Aérea Brasileira).
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As anticipated above, Navy championed the year’s exercise roster with renewed editions of the traditional bi- or multi-national exercises, Patrulla Antártica Combinada (with Chile), Panamax (multi), Fraterno (Brazil), Viekaren (Chile) and UNITAS (multi). The service also performed four internal naval readiness drills (etapas de mar) and three Integración naval cooperation exercises with their Chilean counterparts. A bit more conservative, Air Force hosted a large-scale multinational air combat exercise in Mendoza (the one-off Ceibo 2005), co-hosted the third edition of the Plata illegal air traffic control simulation and deployed all of its combat units (III, IV, V and VI air brigades) to Patagonian air bases for un-perturbed and realistic training. Army, in turn, distinguished itself by naming several of their manoeuvres with special (and sometimes quite meaningful) names such as Escudo Pampeano (Pampa Shield) and Estirpe Guerrera (Warrior Lineage). Tri-service training was apparently the one suffering the most severe cuts, with only one of two planned exercises eventually taking place in the early days of a harsh Patagonian winter (Patoruzú). In a rare but welcome recording for this section, evidence was also gathered about a couple entries from the British South Atlantic Forces.
The data base
The following list contains a revisited edition of our 2005 Argentine Exercises Index (“Project ARGEX”), first published in Aeromilitaria Argentina circa 2006. Should you find that the table below is incomplete or incorrect in any of its entries, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 04-Feb 05 | Patrulla Antártica Combinada | Antarctic naval patrol between Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic Peninsula. | ARA and Chilean Navy (unit/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| Jan | Commando and jungle troops training in Corrientes and Misiones. | EA: Sec Av Ej Mte 12 (Huey). | |
| Jan | Escudo Pampeano | X Br Mec maneouvers in Baterías (Buenos Aires). | EA: units not known (Huey). ARA: (unit/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| Jan | Military exercises West of the Malvinas Islands. | Royal AF: 1312 Flt (Hercules, VC-10), 1435 Flt (Tornado). Royal Navy: 815 Sqdn (Sea Lynx). | |
| Feb | Naval gunfire training in the Malvinas Islands. | Royal Navy: 815 Sqdn (Sea Lynx). | |
| 01-08 Mar | VI Br Aé deployment to Río Gallegos (Santa Cruz). | FAA: VI Br Aé (Mirage/Finger/Mara), VII Br Aé (Bell 212). | |
| 14-16 Mar | Sea search and rescue in Comandante Espora (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA1H (Alouette), EA2H (Sea King). | |
| 01-11 Apr | I Etapa de Mar (2005) | Integrated naval training in Baterías (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA32 (Super Etendard), EA1H (Alouette), EA3H (Huey). |
| 20-30 Apr | Marine training in Baterías (Buenos Aires)? | ARA: EA3H (Huey). | |
| 20-27 Apr | Halcón | V Br Aé deployment to Río Gallegos (Santa Cruz). | FAA: V Br Aé (Fighting Hawk). |
| 17-18 May | Paraná 3 | II Army Corps training in Santa Fé (Santa Fé). | EA: Esc Av A G 603 (G.222). |
| 15 Jun-01 Jul | Patoruzú I | Rapid reaction forces training in Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego. | EA: B Helic Asal 601 (Huey), Sec Av Ej 9 (Huey), Sec Av Ej 11 (Huey), Esc Av A G 603 (Sabreliner, G-222). FAA: I Br Aé (Boeing 707, Hercules), IX Br Aé (Twin Otter, F.27). |
| 26 Jun-01 Jul | Plata III | Air traffic and air defence training between Posadas (Misiones) and Santa María (Brasil). | FAA: II Br Aé (F.27), III Br Aé (Pucará), IV Br Aé (Paris), VII Br Aé (Bell 212), INAC (Séneca). Brazilian AF (Xavante, Tucano, Caravan, Bandeirante, Huey, Guardião). |
| 05-09 Jul | II Etapa de Mar (2005) | Integrated naval training in Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA1H (Alouette), EA2S (Tracker). |
| Aug | Carrier landing simulations in Comandante Espora (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA32 (Super Etendard), EA2S (Tracker). | |
| 04-17 Aug | Panamax | Sea control in the Panamá Canal Zone. | ARA: EA6P (Orion). Colombian Navy (CN235). Chilean Navy (Orion). Panamanian Navy (Aviocar, Bell 212, Pillán). USN (Sea Dragon). |
| 08-09 Aug | Navy Seal training in Miramar (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA2S (Turbo Porter). | |
| 01-08 Sep | Integración 2005/2 | Peace forces training between Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) and Punta Arenas (Chile). | ARA: EA32 (Super Etendard), EA1H (Fennec, Alouette), EA6V (Super King Air). Chilean Navy (unconfirmed shipborne helicopters). |
| 12-17 Sep | IV Br Aé deployment to Comandante Espora (Buenos Aires). | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules), IV Br Aé (Pampa, Paris). | |
| 15-20 Sep | Tanque 2005 | Air refuelling training in Uruguay. Cancelled? | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules). Uruguayan AF (Dragonfly). |
| 26-30 Sep | Tte. Cnl. Manuel Fraga | Final field training for II Armored Brigade in Campo Ávalos (Entre Ríos). | FAA: III Br Aé (Pucará). EA units unconfirmed (Huey+), Esc Av A G 603 (G.222). |
| 27 Sep | Helicopter cargo training in Comandante Espora (Buenos Aires). | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules). ARA: EA3H (Huey). | |
| Oct | Sur | III Br Aé deployment to Comodoro Rivadavia (Chubut). | FAA: III Br Aé (Pucará). |
| 03-07 Oct | Armas para la Paz | Peace forces training in Baterías (Buenos Aires). Cancelled? | FAA, ARA y EA (units/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 11-14 Oct | Fraterno XXIV | Peace forces training in international waters near Brazil. | ARA: EA1H (Alouette, Fennec). Brazilian AF (AMX). Brazilian Navy (unspecified shipborne helicopters). |
| Shipborne off-shore training near Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA1H (Fennec), EA2H (Sea King). | ||
| 01-10 Oct | Duende | Paratrooper training in Córdoba (Córdoba). Cancelled? | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules). EA: Esc Av A G 603 (G.222). Brazilian AF (unspecified transports). |
| 16 Oct-01 Nov | UNITAS XLVII Fase Atlántica | Peace forces training in Brazilian territorial waters. | ARA: EA1H (Alouette, Fennec). Brazilian AF (AMX, Bandeirulha). Brazilian Navy (Esquilo, Super Lynx). Spanish Navy (Bell 212ASW). USN (Seahawk, Learjet operated by Flight International). |
| Nov | Search and rescue training on the River Plate. Cancelled? | ARA, PNA and Uruguayan Navy (unspecified units/aircraft). | |
| 07-13 Nov | Estirpe Guerrera | Final field training for IX Mechanized Brigade in Pampa de los Guanacos training field (province unspecified). | EA: Sec Av Ej 9 (unit/aircraft unconfirmed). |
| 13-24 Nov | Ceibo 2005 | Dissimilar air combat training (supporting peace forces) between El Plumerillo (Mendoza) and Villa Reynolds (San Luis). | FAA: I Br Aé (Hercules, B-707, F.28), III Br Aé (Pucará), IV Br Aé (Pampa, Paris, Lama), V Br Aé (Fighting Hawk), VI Br Aé (Mirage, Finger, Mara), VII Br Aé (Bell 212), IX Br Aé (F.27). Brazilian AF (AMX, B-707). Chilean AF (Elkan). Uruguayan AF (Dragonfly, Huey). |
| 13-18 Nov | Final field training for V Mechanized Brigade in General Belgrano training field (Salta). | EA (flying units/aircraft unconfirmed). | |
| 14-17 Nov | Viekaren VII | Peace forces training along the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego). | ARA: EA6V (Super King Air). Chilean Navy (Bell 412). |
| 29 Nov | IV Etapa de Mar (2005) | Naval artillery training in El Rincón (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA1H (Fennec). |
| 29 Nov | Airport emergency simulation in Comandante Espora (Buenos Aires). | ARA: EA2S (Tracker). | |
| Dec-Jan | Integración 2005/3 | Peace forces training in Argentine territorial waters. | ARA and Chilean Navy (unspecificed shipborne helicopters). |
| 06 Dec | Sea search and rescue in Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires). | PNA: EAMP (Puma). | |
| n/a | Campaña de Tiro La Cruz ’05 | Bombing and shooting practice for pupils from military flyers course. | FAA: EAM (Mentor). |
Sources: Agência Linha de Defensa, Argentine Ministry of Defense (official), Armada Argentina (official), Aviación Argentina, Ejército Argentino (official) (official), Força Aérea Brasileira (official), Gaceta Marinera, Marinha Brasileira (official), Prensa Santa Cruz, Terra Fotolog, United States Navy (official) and Zona Militar.
Acknowledgements: Esteban G. Brea, Martín Kubo, Gustavo Lepez and Martín Otero contributed to this report.
