0

Is Argentina buying JF-17 aircraft?

According to the Aviacionline website, the draft budget for the fiscal year 2022, which includes a $664 million request for the acquisition of the JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets, was presented to the Argentine National Congress. [Google Translate]

user366312
  • 1,226
  • 1
  • 8
  • 26

1 Answers1

1

I don't know if anymore developments have happened since Sep 21, but then Reuters reported that the source of the planes that Argentina was looking for had not yet been decided:

Argentina is looking at buying up to $664 million-worth of multipurpose fighter jets to safeguard its airspace, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations told Reuters that planes from China, the United States, Russia, South Korea or Israel were being considered.

The process "is in the technical-economic and financial evaluation stage of five alternatives," the ministry said in an official statement.

Fizz
  • 57,051
  • 18
  • 175
  • 291
  • This is consistent with the article, which says *budget* has been put aside, not that the purchase had been agreed. – Oddthinking Sep 26 '21 at 13:43
  • @Oddthinking: there were more definitive statements made by otherwise reputable source, Including Janes https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/argentina-allocates-jf-17-funding-in-latest-fighter-recapitalisation-twist "Announced on 15 September, the draft budget for fiscal year (FY) 2022 includes USD664 million towards the purchase of 12 JF-17 Thunder Block III jets (including USD20 million for infrastructure)." with no alternatives mentioned except in the past tense. – Fizz Sep 26 '21 at 16:02
  • I think we are agreeing. There is a claim that a (draft) budget had money put aside for the purchase, but that is very different to actually buying anything, which remains undecided. – Oddthinking Sep 27 '21 at 08:08
  • @Oddthinking: frankly quite a bit of that is probably disinformation, as the UK has been looking to block such sales, especially if they include any UK components. That realistically leaves a much shorter list... Even the JF-17 (at least the Pakistani version) is equipped with a British ejection seat, but apparently China has a version with a Chinese seat; furthermore, Argentina wants to assemble the jet locally, from parts https://www.aerotime.aero/28954-Fact-check-is-Argentina-Buying-Pakistani-JF-17-jets – Fizz Sep 27 '21 at 13:43