Argentine Minister of Defense in Israel: interest in drones, armored vehicles and missiles to modernize the Armed Forces

The Argentine Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, is in Israel with an agenda focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and exploring the acquisition of high-tech weapons systems, including loitering munitions, high-performance drones and surface-to-air missile systems, for the three main branches of its Armed Forces.

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Israel and Argentina Strengthen Strategic Defense Partnership ????

Israel’s Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, welcomed Argentina’s Minister of Defense, Dr. Luis Alfonso Petri, as he commenced his official visit to Israel. pic.twitter.com/KMriZTGYxm

— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) December 2, 2024

New equipment for Artillery, Cavalry and Infantry

For the Argentine Army (EA), the joint Czech-Israeli  Pandur II 8×8 armored vehicles, considered superior to the US Striker, are being evaluated. In addition, Petri showed interest in 155mm ATMOS self-propelled artillery systems, new ARAD 7 assault rifles and the possibility of manufacturing Israeli tank ammunition in Argentina.

Drones and loitering munitions

It seems that the tests conducted by the EA of a small initial batch of HERO 120 (against armor or fortifications) and HERO 30 (against infantry) loitering munitions proved satisfactory, because there would be interest in deepening their implementation through a new procurement.

In parallel, the Argentine Ministry of Defense is reportedly showing strong interest in the purchase of MALE (Medium Altitude, Long Endurance) unmanned aerial vehicles for the armed forces. Among the options are IAI’s Heron Mk II or Elbit’s Hermes 900 systems. These systems would be acquired jointly by the Air Force and the Navy, which seek to improve their ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) patrolling capacity over vast maritime and land areas, with a flight range of more than 24 hours.

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Rotorcrafts

The Israeli proposal includes a batch of Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters, modernized by Elbit Systems. These aircraft could complement the three used UH-60s that the Army plans to acquire via FMS (Foreign Military Sales).

Air defense

Finally, it is time to talk about the most onerous purchase intention. Minister Petri visited the offices of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to learn about its vast portfolio of capabilities, including air, land, naval and even cybernetic defense. But the main Argentine interest would be in the Spyder surface-to-air defense systems, since negotiations have already begun for the joint purchase of a pair of batteries. The Army is interested in a Spyder SR (short range) or ER (extended range) battery, while the Air Force is considering the Spyder LR (long range). These systems can employ air-to-air missiles such as the Python 5 and I-Derby, which have proven combat effectiveness and can also be used on airborne platforms.

The relationship between Argentina and Israel is at an exceptionally favorable political moment, based on shared defense interests and a clear ideological harmony. The ambitious list of projected acquisitions has the potential to represent a significant leap in the integral modernization of the Argentine Armed Forces. However, its materialization will depend not only on the availability of financial resources, but also on the progress of bilateral agreements that guarantee flexible financing mechanisms and effective government-to-government transactions.