Sources close to the Argentine Ministry of Defense informed Aviacionline of the intention to acquire a second batch of former US Navy TC-12B Huron light transport aircraft, or similar Beechcraft King Air.
These would be 4 aircraft, of which 2 would be for the Argentine Air Force (FAA) and 2 for the Naval Aviation Command (COAN) of the Argentine Navy.
Although the first FAA TC-12B Huron (registration TC-117), after repeated delays, arrived at the Morón air base only 8 days ago, there are already plans to expand the fleet of these aircraft.
The convenience of the new purchase, in which the Navy was also interested, would be in the price. It seems too good an offer to pass up.
In the Argentine Air Force, the TC-12B Hurons will mainly perform multi-engine trainer, light cargo, logistics support, medical transfer and liaison functions, replacing the deprogrammed IA-50 Guarani IIs.
They will be distributed as follows:
II Air Brigade (based in Paraná), with 4 units.
III Air Brigade (based in Reconquista), with 1 unit
V Air Brigade (stationed in Villa Reynolds), with 1 unit
VI Air Brigade (stationed at Tandil), with 1 unit
Morón Air Base, with 2 units
Military Aviation School (based in Córdoba), with 1 unit
The Cormorán of the Argentine Navy
The COAN has a wide and satisfactory experience in the use of the Beechcraft King Air family of platforms. It has 5 operational units, 4 of which were modified for maritime patrol missions (MPA) and one unmodified for transport and liaison.
The B-200 Cormorant, name of the Navy’s patrol version, are Super King Air modified to carry out maritime patrol and exploration missions within the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
To carry out these missions, as well as to assist in search and rescue (SAR) operations, the Navy aircraft are equipped with a 360° RDR-1500 ventral radar (only 3 of them), incorporate observation windows, 2 additional fuel tanks in the engine nacelles, improvements in the communication systems and have the capacity to launch a life raft, survival equipment or smoke buoys in flight.
It is not known at this time what the HANOC would like to do with these 2 additional units. The Navy’s B-200s are old, since as the original Super King Air, they arrived in the country in the late 1970s and early 1980s, so they could be brought in to replace the units that are showing the most wear and tear.
