Argentina (“silver” in Spanish) is a large state located in southern South America. Republic covering an area of almost 2,767,000 square meters. km, has land borders with 5 states of the continent. In the north, the country borders with Bolivia and Paraguay, a little to the east - with Brazil. Uruguay is a neighbor of Argentina in the east. Chile stretched along a narrow strip of land along the entire western border.
Country Brief
The eastern coast of Argentina is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The state is territorially divided into 23 provinces and 1 metropolitan district of federal significance. More than 44 million people live in the country, speaking mainly in the main state language - Spanish. The capital of the country is a large political and economic conglomerate Buenos Aires, which is inhabited (with suburbs) by more than 15 million people. The Argentine Republic became sovereign after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1816. The state acquired the name “Argentina” in 1826.
A brief history of the emergence of the Argentine army and the activities of its leadership in the late XIX - early XXI centuries.
Argentina's professional armed forces have been forming over the past few decades of the 19th century. The army of Argentina was under constant tight control of the country's civil authorities until 1930, when the country's President Ipolito Yrigoyen was overthrown by 1,500 soldiers. After that, the military received much more authority, repeatedly carried out a violent change of power in the country.
After the coup d'etat and the overthrow of Isabel Peron from the presidency of the country from 1976 to 1983, a military junta was in power in Argentina led by General H.R. Videla and Admiral E.E. Massero. During this period, an era of national reorganization was declared in the country, as a result of which more than 30 thousand people were illegally arrested. More than 10 thousand people recognized as enemies of the political regime were killed. Military spending, which increased to 25% of the country's annual budget, led to hyperinflation (more than 300% per year). The military government introduced austerity by prohibiting the increase in wages and other social payments.
Early 1980s With the ruin of the three largest banks in the country, a new round of crisis came. In order to distract the population from internal economic problems, General Leopoldo Galtieri, who led Argentina in 1982, undertakes a military landing of his soldiers on the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands located east of the mainland, the protectorate over which the British have been holding for 150 years. The operation is lightning fast and on April 2 ends with the surrender of Argentine troops to the British and the deaths of more than 1,000 Argentine soldiers and the destruction of 60 combat aircraft.
Soon another General Reynaldo Bignone became the head of state and national army, however, he continued the policy of repression.
Only in December 1983 did civil society representative Raul Alfonsin come to power. He puts the army of Argentina under the control of civilian power, organizes the prosecution of leaders of the military junta, conducts a series of economic reforms. But even these reforms lead to a significant decrease in the level of industrial production and strong unrest among the military.
Carlos Menem, who came later, carried out a number of new economic transformations, achieved reduction of inflation from 5000% to 4% per year, and growth of the national economy by 30%. His further policy led the country to a technical default on the payment of external debt in 2001. At this point, the military’s influence on the country's civilian leadership was significantly reduced.
The composition of the Armed Forces of Argentina today
The President of Argentina is the supreme commander of all arms of the country and appoints commanders of all headquarters, groups and arms. The Armed Forces of Argentina are directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense of the country, who heads the national Ministry of Defense of Argentina.
The President of Argentina is empowered with the approval of the National Congress to enter the war with other states, declare a state of emergency, general mobilization.
He also leads the national defense committee. Currently, the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic include the following types of troops:
- land;
- air force;
- naval;
- national gendarmerie;
- maritime prefecture (coastal and coastal troops).
Argentine Ground Forces
Ground armed groups are divided into three groupings of troops: northwest, northeast and south. This type of units includes aviation forces. Leads the formations Cesar Milani. The ground forces include 3 army corps headquarters, as well as:
- 2 brigades of armored tanks;
- 4 mechanized brigades;
- 2 infantry brigades (for actions in the mountains);
- 1 battery of special infantry (for operations in the jungle);
- airborne and training brigades;
- regiment of cavalrymen and motorized exhibition forces (escort of the head of state);
- motorized infantry battalion;
- artillery group;
- 2 groups of anti-aircraft gunners;
- air force group;
- engineering battalion.
In addition to these formations, this kind of troops includes tank, airborne, and mechanized reserve brigades.
The armament of the ground forces are: 53 helicopters, 44 aircraft, 128 tanks of small light class, 230 main combat multi-purpose tanks, 123 combat reconnaissance vehicles, 123 infantry fighting vehicles, 518 armored personnel carriers, 220 guns, 1760 mortars, 6 multiple launch rocket systems, 600 complexes launch anti-tank guided missiles, 80 man-portable air defense systems, 97 anti-aircraft guns. The number of troops is 55,000.
Argentine Air Force
The headquarters of the Argentine Army Air Force is led by Brigadier Major Enrique Amrain. The history of the Air Force as a branch of service dates back to August 10, 1912, when a military aviation school was created in Argentina. Fifteen years later, the Office of Aeronautics appeared in the country, and a plant for the production of military aircraft was opened in the city of Cordoba. In February 1944, the command of state aviation was created, and in January 1945, the Air Force became a separate independent branch of the armed forces. After the end of World War II, the Argentinean army was the first to launch jet aircraft in Latin America (Gloster Meteor, Avro Lancaster and Avro Lincoln).
In 1952, Argentinean aviation established regular flights to the Antarctic zone, where a polar scientific base was opened. In 1970-1990 There was a period of modernization of the aviation group, the replacement of obsolete American military aircraft with more modern ones. However, at present, the armament of the Argentine army is mainly outdated models of flying, ground and water military equipment.
Since the early 2000s The Argentine Air Force is participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions in the Persian Gulf, Cyprus and Haiti.
As of mid-2017, the country's air forces group includes:
- 4 reconnaissance aircraft;
- 25 fighter bombers;
- about 60 transport aircraft of various capacities and purposes (37 transport units, 19 general purpose units, 1 presidential board, 2 tankers);
- 81 training and training aircraft (including 7 Russian SU-29);
- 45 reconnaissance and multi-purpose helicopters (including 5 Russian transport helicopters Mi-171);
- Air defense systems.
Argentine Navy
The leadership of the naval forces of Argentina is represented by 4 commands: submarine and surface forces, marines and naval aviation. Admiral Marcelo Sur directs the general staff of the forces.
The number of transports of the surface fleet includes:
- 4 destroyers;
- 9 corvettes;
- 9 patrol ships;
- 4 towing rescue vessels;
- 1 universal transport;
- 1 supply vessel;
- 1 icebreaker;
- 1 tanker;
- 3 general purpose vehicles;
- 3 auxiliary transport;
- 2 hydrographic vessels;
- 1 ship for research oceanographic needs;
- 1 training vessel.
The Argentinean submarine force group is represented by 3 submarines of various classes (communication with one of them was lost during the submarine operation in September 2017).
Base points are:
- Bahia Blanca (the largest naval base in the country of Puerto Belgrano, where the shipyards and the arsenal are located);
- Mar del Plata (the base of the grouping of 6 platoons of tactical divers for special purposes (about 100 people);
- dep. Ushuaia (island of Tierra del Fuego);
- Zarate.
Argentine Marines consist of:
- command;
- five battalions of marines;
- naval forces;
- management and support units;
- artillery, anti-air, security battalions;
- communications battalion and amphibious vehicles;
- groups of paratroopers-saboteurs;
- divisions of marine engineers;
- quartermaster groups;
- educational institution marines.
Geographically in the structure of the marine corps distinguish: river, southern and Atlantic sea zones. The armament of the Marine Corps consists of: armored personnel carriers, combat reconnaissance vehicles, wheeled ATVs and towing howitzers (barrel diameter: 105 mm and 155 mm).
The naval air forces contain 47 aircraft in service: 8 units. general purpose, 6 units for maritime patrols, 5 units anti-submarine, 2 units. transport, 9 units combat training, 8 units. assault, 9 units. educational training.
Gendarmerie
The gendarmerie service appeared in the country in 1938. The gendarmes are a kind of internal troops that daily monitor the rule of law on the streets of the country. These are Argentine police officers, of which there are more than 12,000 people. Another important purpose of this type of troops is the protection of the border territory. In addition to professionals, these troops comprise 70,000 volunteers. Management is carried out from 4 headquarters: in Cordoba, Campo de Mayo, Bahia Blanca and Rosario.
Naval prefecture
The unit is a state coast guard troops, has its own intelligence department. Ensures the inviolability and safety of the coastline and public facilities, compliance with Argentine legislation in the field of fisheries, the movement of own and foreign vessels in the territorial waters of the state.
In 10 base zones, more than 13,000 soldiers are deployed. The state coast guard includes: 6 Mantilla aircraft carriers (1 helicopter on board), more than 60 boats of various types and displacement, 3 research and auxiliary ships, service vessel, helicopters of various brands.
Armed Forces Armed Forces
The leadership of the armed forces of the Argentine Republic is carried out by the supreme commander of the country - the elected president. Currently, this is Mauricio Macri, elected in December 2015. Previously, he was a deputy of the country's parliament (lower house) and mayor of the capital of Buenos Aires.
Since 1985, Mauricio Macri has been in business, leading a group of companies founded by his father. For 12 years (1995-2007), Macri served as the head of the Boko Juniors football club, brought the club out of crisis and made it one of the strongest in the world.
The country's armed forces are led by Defense Minister Oscar Aguad.
The Ministry of Defense is located in an old building, one of the symbols of the capital of Buenos Aires - Libertadore.
The structure of the Ministry of Defense of Argentina is as follows (the names of the leaders are indicated in brackets):
- Headquarters Committee (Bari del Sosa, Miguel Angel Mascolo);
- General Staff (Diego Sunier);
- Management of military tasks and strategy;
- Planning Office
- External Defense Committee;
- Office of Military Intelligence;
- Human Rights Office
- Enterprises of the defense technology production complex;
- Institute for Defense Technology Research.
In general, the combat effectiveness of the Argentine army is at a high level. This is the second most powerful (after the Brazilian) army on the continent. There are no major military conflicts in the region.
Argentine Armed Forces and Church
As part of the Armed Forces of Argentina, there is a special structure - the ordinate of the Roman Catholic Church. The duties of this service include pastoral, spiritual assistance to the military personnel of the state and members of their families. The ordinate submits to the Holy See of the Vatican.
Conflicts in which the army of Argentina took part
Since its inception, the armed forces of the Argentine Republic have taken part in the following major military conflicts:
- The military operations of 1810-1816, as a result of which Argentina gained independence from Spain.
- The continuation of hostilities in the geographic area of Rio de la Plata in 1818-1825, which led to the emergence of independent states of Paraguay and Uruguay.
- The military conflict with Brazil (for the right to own the province of Sisplatin) in 1825-1828.
- The war in alliance with Uruguay and Brazil against Paraguay in 1864-1870.
- The Falkland-Malvinas War with Great Britain (in 1982) for the right to own the Falkland Islands and the Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
- The internal military conflict in Uruguay in 1839-1851
Today, peace reigns in the country and on its borders.