Argentina agrees to buy Leonardo AW109M helicopters

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated how much detecting, deterring and fighting illegal fishing in Argentina’s exclusive economic zone costs the country annually. It is between $1 billion and $2.6 billion per year, according to Luis Piñeiro, an independent defense and security analyst based in Buenos Aires. A previous version of this story also misidentified the date the letter of intention was signed. That took place Sept. 22.

SANTIAGO, Chile — Argentina’s Defense Ministry has signed a letter of intention for the procurement of eight AW109M lightweight helicopters from Italian firm Leonardo.

The agreement was signed Sept. 22 as Argentine Defense Minister Jorge Taiana visited Italy to see the aircraft’s production line.

The AW109Ms would be used by the Argentine Navy in a seagoing role aboard French-built Bouchard-class offshore patrol vessels, acquired between 2019 and 2022 to patrol the country’s exclusive economic zone to deter and prevent illegal exploitation of fishing resources.

A military source in Buenos Aires, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the defense program, told Defense News that “until now the OPVs have been going to sea carrying Airbus AS555 Fennec helicopters. But those aircraft are intended and needed for weapons-targeting functions and training with missile frigates and corvettes, instead of coast guarding work.”

Funding for the purchase of eight to 10 lightweight helicopters for the Navy was already included in the government’s draft budget for 2024, which was submitted Sept. 15 to the Chamber of Deputies within the Argentine Congress.

The budget request seeks $110 million for the maritime lightweight helicopter program, to be spent over 10 years.

Luis Piñeiro, an independent defense and security analyst based in Buenos Aires, told Defense News that “this is a long-due and necessary step, which will add to the recent acquisition of P-3C Orion [maritime patrol aircraft]. It will bolster Argentina’s capacities to detect, deter and fight illegal fishing that cost the country between $1 billion and $2.6 billion per year.”

José Higuera is a Latin America correspondent for Defense News.

更正：此前报道错误地描述了阿根廷每年在专属经济区内打击、阻止和侦查非法捕鱼活动的成本。据布宜诺斯艾利斯独立国防和安全分析师路易斯·皮涅罗（Luis Piñeiro）称，实际成本在每年10亿至26亿美元之间。此前报道还错误地指出了意向书的签署日期。实际签署日期为9月22日。

智利圣地亚哥——阿根廷国防部已签署意向书，拟从意大利莱昂纳多公司采购八架AW109M轻型直升机。

该协议于 9 月 22 日签署，当时阿根廷国防部长豪尔赫·塔亚纳正在意大利参观该飞机的生产线。

阿根廷海军将在 2019 年至 2022 年间购入的法国制造的布沙尔级近海巡逻舰上部署 AW109M 型飞机，用于巡逻该国的专属经济区，以威慑和防止非法开发渔业资源。

布宜诺斯艾利斯一位不愿透露姓名的军方消息人士（由于国防项目的敏感性）告诉《防务新闻》：“到目前为止，近海巡逻舰出海时都搭载着空客AS555‘小狐狸’直升机。但这些飞机是用于武器瞄准任务以及与导弹护卫舰和轻型护卫舰进行训练，而不是用于海岸警卫工作。”

政府在 2024 年预算草案中已经包含了为海军购买 8 至 10 架轻型直升机的资金，该草案已于 9 月 15 日提交给阿根廷国会众议院。

预算申请要求为海上轻型直升机项目拨款 1.1 亿美元，为期 10 年。

常驻布宜诺斯艾利斯的独立国防和安全分析师路易斯·皮涅罗告诉《防务新闻》：“这是早就应该采取的必要措施，它将与最近采购的P-3C猎户座海上巡逻机相辅相成。这将增强阿根廷侦测、阻止和打击非法捕鱼的能力，非法捕鱼每年给该国造成10亿至26亿美元的损失。”

何塞·伊格拉是《防务新闻》拉丁美洲记者。