9/9 FRI 8:00 Latin-American Efforts Towards Global Sustainability
South american modernisation efforts
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Jane's Defence Weekly
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Trials of regeneration: South American modernisation efforts
Military spending in South America is poised to rise as a generation of Cold War-era equipment faces
obsolescence, writes Inigo Guevara
South American military planners face a significant challenge as the increasing need to modernise legacy
conventional weapon inventories competes for budgets with the growing demands of internal security
capabilities. Most of the continent's militaries have - and look set to retain - responsibility for surveillance
of airspace, borders, and exclusive economic zones (EEZs).
The region's last major military modernisation took place in the 1970s and early 1980s, when military
juntas ruled nine of out South America's 12 nations. The peak of the Cold War, combined with not-so-
neighbourly policies, steered defence planning to hypotheses of traditional conflict. Argentina planned for
a potential war with Chile, which responded in kind and added Peru and Bolivia to its defence threat
scenarios. Meanwhile, Peru girded for conflict with Chile and Ecuador, Brazil with Argentina, Paraguay with
Bolivia, and so on.
During this modernisation, squadrons of Cessna A-37B Dragonflies, Northrop F-5s and Dassault Mirage
III/5-series fighters, AMX-30 main battle tanks (MBTs), Type 209 submarines, and Lupo-class frigates
helped replace a generation of Second World War-era equipment.
[Continued in full version…]
Brazil to the fore
Several countries have started planning, and some have begun implementation, but in its long-term
strategy the clear leader is Brazil. Not only has Brazil laid out its force development requirements up to the
late 2040s, but more importantly the nation has the patience and ambition to create a national industrial
base that will absorb technical know-how to become a global middle power.
Brazil requires new aircraft carriers; helicopter-carrying amphibious assault ships; Saab Gripen E/F combat
aircraft; Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft; 6,000-ton frigates; SN-BR nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs);
Scorpène diesel-electric submarines (SSKs); families of 4x4, 6x6, and 8x8 armoured vehicles; ASTROS II Mk-
6 multiple rocket launchers; the range of vehicles and systems under the COBRA future soldier programme;
and self-propelled anti-aircraft systems.
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A computer-generated image of the Saab Gripen E in Brazilian colours. The Brazilian Air Force has signed up for 28 single-seat Gripen E and eight twin-seat Gripen F aircraft. (Saab)
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However, as most requirements were laid out around 2006-08 amid an economic bonanza, Brazil's
economic slowdown could delay, modify, or even end some programmes.
The delivery of a 50,000-ton aircraft carrier, for example, has slipped from 2023 to 2028. In the meantime,
the ageing carrier São Paulo is now expected to remain in service until 2029, with a 48-month update due
to begin in 2017. Delays have also snowballed in Brazil's embarked aviation programmes. The AF-1 upgrade
of the McDonnell Douglas A-4KU Skyhawk programme has been set back to 2017, while the Grumman C-1
Trader carrier onboard delivery (KC-2) programme has been put back to 2018.
The Blue Amazon Management and Surveillance System's (SisGAAz's) complexity and expected
subcontracting needs put it among the most most anticipated programmes. SisGAAz will provide the
Brazilian Navy with a comprehensive system that will provide surveillance and maritime traffic
management over its resource-rich EEZ and maritime area of responsibility, which is dubbed the Blue
Amazon.
In June a main contractor for the BRL10 billion (USD3.5 billion) project is set to be announced from a
shortlist of three revealed in January: Embraer Defesa & Segurança (EDS) partnered with Airbus Defence
and Space and Elbit subsidiary AEL Sistemas; Orbital Engenharia partnered with China Aerospace Science &
Industry Corporation (CASIC); and Odebrecht Defesa e Tecnologia (ODT) partnered with Indra Sistemas,
Saab, and the MDA Corporation.
[Continued in full version…]
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Argentina's message: co-operation or competition?
The new Brazilian Gripen programme faced its first commercial challenge in October 2014 when it became
clear that UK export restrictions would block exports to Argentina of key components such as the Selex-
Saab ES05 Raven active electronically scanned-array radar, the Selex Skyward-G infrared search-and-track
system, AP Precision Hydraulics landing gear, and the Martin-Baker Mk 10L ejection seat.
Argentina could become a local marketer for China's VN1 APC. (Norinco)
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The UK's prohibition proved that Brazil has yet to reach technological and commercial independence.
Reliance on third-party approval for defence exports has been a thorn in the side of Brazil's defence
industry since 2005, when Embraer failed to gain export licences for key components of the EMB-314
Super Tucano light turbo-prop fighter and lost a USD500 million sale to Venezuela.
After attending the KC-390 roll-out ceremony on 21 October 2014, Argentine Defence Minister Agustin
Rossi had announced an interest in procuring up to 24 Brazilian-built Gripens, but his announcement may
have been simply to pressure the Argentine-Brazilian defence-industry co-operation relationship, which
has several ongoing programmes.
The most advanced of these appears to be Argentina's co-operation in the KC-390 programme. The
Argentine government reported investing USD35 million in outfitting the state-owned Fábrica Argentina de
Aviones (FAdeA) aircraft factory to produce KC-390 components and is expected to procure six aircraft as
replacements for its ageing C-130 Hercules fleet.
Meanwhile, the joint VLEGA Gaucho air-transportable vehicle programme, under development since 2004,
has failed to reach series production and appears at a standstill. However, the largest disappointment has
been the Unasur I primary trainer programme. Amid the hype of regional unity and defence co-operation
that accompanied the establishment in 2008 of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Argentina
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led a multinational project to produce a primary training aircraft that would become the standard in South
America.
The FAdeA IA-73 Unasur I was intended to equip air forces of UNASUR members including Argentina,
Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. From the outset Brazil offered its
support, providing funding to Brazilian companies interested in the project. However, on 22 August 2014
Brazilian company Novaer flew the T-Xc Pilgrim two-seat side-by-side primary trainer for the first time and
announced that the aircraft had been designed as a T-25 Universal replacement for the Brazilian Air Force
and would be offered for export as a direct competitor to the IA-73 Unasur I.
Chile, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay have now decided either to directly procure other aircraft
types or to launch their own national aircraft trainer projects. Only Ecuador and Venezuela maintain an
official interest in procuring the IA-73, but both have recently procured trainers from Diamond Aircraft. As
of late February 2015 IHS Jane's sources in Argentina report the IA-73 Unasur I programme has been
shelved or cancelled, with the sole prototype stored.
As political interest in defence co-operation with Brazil winds down, so does the future of Argentina's
interest in 14 6x6 Iveco Guarani armoured vehicles to equip its portion of the binational Cruz del Sur
(Southern Cross) international peacekeeping force. Rossi's October 2014 announcement of KC-390
participation and interest in the Gripen was shortly followed by the announcement of a new defence
technology co-operation agreement with China. Talks with China involved JF-17 fighters, a polar
icebreaker, six ocean tugs, five 1,800-ton P18 offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and, coincidentally, 14 Norinco
VN-1 8x8 armoured vehicles.
Furthermore, in December 2014 Rossi announced ongoing negotiations to establish a Norinco armoured
vehicle factory in Argentina, which would compete directly with the Iveco Guarani in the South American
market. However, previous plans, including a 2011 programme to assemble the Changhe Z-11 light
helicopter, an unlicensed copy of the Airbus Helicopters Ecureuil, have not materialised. Despite
establishing an assembly plant to produce 40 Z-11s for the Argentine armed forces and compete with the
Helibras Esquilo - a Brazilian licensed copy of the Ecureuil - the only example delivered is reportedly
grounded due to lack of spares.
[Continued in full version…]
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Argentina and China have formed a working group to look at introducing into Argentine service either the J-10 (pictured) or FC-1/JF-17 fighter aircraft. (PA)
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Chile strives for excellence
Chile, the other nation on the southern tip of the continent, faces a completely different scenario. Its
military continues to savour the spoils of a decade-long modernisation programme that has made it one of
the region's best-equipped forces.
In late 2014 the Chilean Army took delivery of its last two batches of 24 BAE Systems M109A3/A5 155 mm
SPHs as replacements for its AMX Mk-F3 155 mm systems. The new guns join a batch of 24 M109A3s
procured from Ruag a decade earlier. A further batch of about 100 Leopard 2s appears to have been
discarded, as current tank holdings are considered adequate.
Attention is now being placed on enhancing the army's fighting capabilities in quality rather than quantity,
with force multipliers such as a new command-and-control (C2) system and battlefield management tools.
In the next few years the most pressing Chilean hardware need will be for new 6x6 and/or 8x8 armoured
vehicles to replace the army's current staple of home-grown Piranhas, for which the Iveco Guarani and the
General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) LAV III are the most likely contenders. The Chilean Army also needs
a few armed reconnaissance helicopters to replace its McDonnell Douglas MD 530F scouts and will also
benefit from expanding its medium transport assets with up to 12 additional Airbus Helicopters H225M
(formerly EC725) Cougars or Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks.
[Continued in full version…]
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Bolivia shows room to grow
Bolivia has embarked on a substantial force modernisation programme. Just a decade ago the Bolivian
Army's main communication device was the 19th century telegraph. Since December 2013, however, it has
been using the Tupac Katari, its own national communications satellite, and a second satellite is expected
in 2018.
In 2014 Bolivia also significantly expanded its military's manpower, setting broad requirements in infantry
equipment, general logistics, and land mobility.
The Bolivian Army took delivery last year of six H425 multirole helicopters, the civilian version of the Harbin
Z-9 'Haitun', which have formed a new air cavalry unit. Meanwhile, the air force took delivery of the first of
four Airbus Helicopters EC145s and six AS332 C1e Super Pumas, the latter apparently in lieu of Russian
Helicopters' Mi-17.
Bolivia is to receive six Super Puma helicopters by the end of 2015. (Airbus Helicopters)
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Bolivia's priorities in 2015 will be to establish an air surveillance radar network to equip the new Airspace
Security and Defence Command, which was stood up on 17 October 2014. Thales is understood to be the
prime contractor and will supply six radars and a C2 centre under a USD200 million contract. Funding will
come via a special hydrocarbon tax designed to develop the landlocked nation's communications
infrastructure.
The Bolivian Airspace Security and Defence commander announced that the country needs up to 36
interceptor aircraft, which will require an expansion of the current fleet. The Bolivian Air Force took
delivery of six Chinese-designed Hongdu K-8WB Karakorum combat trainers in 2011 and will have to
replace an ageing fleet of 12 upgraded Lockheed T-33 trainers and a score of remaining Pilatus PC-7 armed
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turboprop trainers. A mixed fleet of light jet fighters and turboprop aircraft is likely to be required around
the end of the decade.
Colombia's threats reshape
In February a Colombian Air Force C-130 transport aircraft took Defence Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon and
Navy Commander Admiral Hernando Willis Velez to Antarctica, where they linked up with the Colombian
Navy's first Antarctic expedition. The expedition followed the January announcement that Colombia will
soon participate in international peacekeeping and take up previous talks of expanding co-operation with
NATO.
Pinzon's intention is to broadcast the message that the Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de
Colombia) are ready to flex their muscles with an extended reach. Since 2002 the country's armed forces
have grown by 50% from 300,000 to 450,000, transforming from a fairly inefficient territorial defence force
into a flexible and highly capable force that has implemented some of the most sophisticated military
operations in South America's modern history.
Along with enhanced mobility, improved intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities
have been a common denominator in these operations' success.
The helicopter fleets of the air force and army aviation have expanded considerably. With close to 100
Sikorsky UH-60 helicopters in multiple versions, including the Angel combat search-and-rescue version and
the latest Arpia IV anti-tank-equipped gunship, Colombia now boasts one of the largest and also most
battle-proven Black Hawk helicopter fleets in the world.
With close to 100 Sikorsky UH-60 helicopters in multiple versions in service, Colombia now boasts one of the largest Black Hawk fleets in the world. (IHS/Patrick Allen)
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Attention is shifting towards giving Colombia a modest but capable force projection capability that will
undoubtedly prompt further transformation of its military. This shift will need to rebalance conventional
and irregular warfare capacities, as internal security will not disappear completely from the Colombian
armed forces' roles and missions in the medium to long term.
Colombia has begun to modernise its armour and artillery holdings, selecting the Textron Systems M1117
Commando Advanced 4x4 armoured security vehicle (ASV), the GDLS LAV III 8x8 armoured personnel
carrier, and the Nexter LG1 105 mm light gun. However, procurement of heavier equipment, including
batteries of 155 mm SPHs and up to 44 MBTs, have been postponed. The BAE Systems M109A5 or Nexter
CAESAR were among the SPH contenders, while the KMW Leopard 2, GDLS M1A1 Abrams, Nexter Leclerc,
Hyundai K1A1, and Merkava III were considered for the MBT requirement.
The export version of the ASV for Colombia in the APC configuration has a longer wheelbase for greater internal volume and is shown here fitted with a protected weapon station. (Textron)
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Thanks to a comprehensive USD300 million upgrade, Colombia deploys the four most capable frigates in
the Caribbean. These will be joined by two more by 2019, to be built at the local Cotecmar shipyards under
the Strategic Surface Platform (PES) programme. The new frigates will require a full anti-submarine warfare
(ASW) capability and an embarked medium helicopter, for which the Sikorsky Seahawk is apparently the
navy's favourite.
[Continued in full version…]
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Peru: catching up on requirements
After years of neglecting its armed forces, the Peruvian Defence Ministry has launched a series of
procurement programmes under the umbrella of a new offset law. All services are receiving at least some
attention, although myriad capabilities need to be updated.
In late 2014 the army began taking delivery of 24 new Ulan Ude Mi-171Sh 'Hip' transport helicopters.
These will be joined by a regional helicopter maintenance centre as part of a USD180 million offset of the
overall USD540 million helicopter deal.
Land systems have not particularly benefited from the modernisation drive. The army still requires a new
MBT to replace its ageing fleet of T-55s, and new multiple rocket launchers to replace its BM-21s, along
with 155 mm SPHs to replace ageing M109A2s and AMX F3s. The service also needs new 155 mm towed
howitzers and man-portable air defence systems as well as wheeled and tracked APCs. More pressing
requirements include a long-delayed selection of a new assault rifle and medium trucks.
The Peruvian Navy has launched a comprehensive modernisation process, so far spearheaded by the local
construction at its SIMA shipyards of two 7,300-ton South Korean Makassar-class amphibious warfare ships
capable of transporting 450 troops and operating two helicopters.
State firm SIMA is also building a 3,500-ton sail training ship - the largest in South America - and five 500-
ton OPVs, the latter through a licence from South Korea's STX Offshore & Shipbuilding. In July 2014 the
Peruvian marine corps announced a USD67 million contract for 32 GDLS LAV II APCs, with deliveries to
begin in mid-2015.
To meet its new medium transport aircraft requirement the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) selected the Alenia C-
27J Spartan over the Airbus Military C295M, which, until now, had dominated sales in South America. The
C-27J Spartan programme has included four aircraft ordered in two batches valued at a combined USD245
million. The first pair is expected to reach the FAP in 2015.
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The first of four C-27Js was handed over to Peru on 27 February. The South American country should have all four aircraft sometime in 2017. (Alenia Aermacchi)
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[Continued in full version…]
Ecuador returns to traditional sources
The Ecuadorian armed forces' post-2008 modernisation programme bought a new generation of systems
from non-traditional suppliers to South America: HAL Dhruv advanced light helicopters from India, China
Electronics Technology Corporation (CETC) YLC-2V long-range 3-D and YLC-18 high-mobility medium-range
gap-filler radars from China, and 12 Denel Cheetah C/D multirole fighters from South Africa.
However, all of these projects reported significant implementation problems: four of the seven Druv
helicopters had crashed by February, while the Chinese deal was cancelled after years of delays and an
eventual failure to integrate with Ecuador's C2 network.
Ecuador has since returned to its more traditional suppliers, including the Netherlands, Spain, and the
United States. In 2014 the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) took delivery of three Airbus Military C295M medium
transports under a USD92 million deal that enabled the retirement of its ageing HS748 aircraft. Spanish
company Indra Sistemas was selected in October 2014 to provide four new 3-D long-range radars, with
deliveries expected to begin in mid-2016.
[Continued in full version…]
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Paraguay: too many needs, too little funding
The Paraguayan armed forces have long required a major modernisation programme and have
unsuccessfully sought supplementary budgets of between USD200 million and USD568 million over recent
years.
The armed forces' priority is for new turbo-prop combat aircraft, for which the Embraer EMB-314 Super
Tucano was thought to be the favourite until April 2014. In May 2014 KAI offered six KA-1 light attack
aircraft and six KT-1 trainers at a price point below that of the Super Tucanos.
Paraguay's other requirements are for new medium transport aircraft in the Airbus Military C295M class
and 3-D long-range radars, although as of February there is no indication that funding has been allocated.
Uruguay goes second-hand shopping
As a military that punches well above its weight, particularly in international peacekeeping deployments,
the Uruguayan armed forces have multiple stated requirements for conventional systems.
So far, Uruguay has been able to fund the procurement of some opportunity buys in the second-hand
market, including 180 81 mm and 120 mm surplus Spanish Army mortars, six former Ecuadorian Air Force
Cessna A-37B Dragonfly CAS aircraft, and two ex-Portuguese Airbus Military C212-300 Aviocar transport
aircraft. The A-37Bs were obtained free of charge through a binational co-operation programme, while the
Portuguese Aviocars were negotiated at a reduced EUR1.6 million (USD1.8 million) price tag.
The army has obtained some new equipment, with five Aselsan Advanced Capability Radar (ACAR) ground
surveillance radars and a single Elta 2106 NG tactical air surveillance radar delivered in 2014.
[Continued in full version…]
Venezuela: ready for the wrong war?
With a staunch rhetoric focusing on a US-backed foreign invasion, Venezuela undertook a major overhaul
of its conventional capabilities from 2005 to 2014. This revamp included new T-72S1 MBTs, 2S19M-1 Msta-
S self-propelled howitzers, BM-21 Grad and 9A52-2 Smerch multiple rocket launchers, and S-125 Pechora-
2M, Buk-M2E and S-300VM air-defence missile systems.
However, the announced procurement of further conventional systems including 100 additional MBTs,
Sukhoi Su-35 'Super Flankers', 'Kilo'- and Amur-class submarines and BAL-E coastal defence missile systems
has lapsed as attention re-focuses on internal security and mobility requirements. The Venezuelan National
Guard has meanwhile taken delivery of some 141 4x4 Norinco armoured vehicles, 20 of which are
configured for riot control.
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Venezuela's fourth and final Guaicamacuto-class patrol vessel, Comandante Eterno Hugo Chávez, was launched on 15 July in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. (Navantia)
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[Continued in full version…]
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