Argentine Naval Aviation
Argentine Naval Aviation — the Armada’s Comando de la Aviación Naval, officially founded on 17 October 1919 — flew jets from two aircraft carriers, sank HMS Sheffield and the Atlantic Conveyor with Exocets in 1982, and in 2026 is a carrier-less maritime patrol and helicopter force rebuilding around ex-Norwegian P-3C Orions after its Super Étendards and Trackers were retired.
The Argentine Naval Aviation story: two carriers, the Exocets of 1982 and a revival built on Orions
1912–1955: seaplanes, Fuerte Barragán and a service of its own
English Wikipedia dates Argentine naval flying to 22 October 1912, when Lieutenant Melchor Escola became the first naval pilot, and to 11 February 1916, when a naval air station and school was set up at Fuerte Barragán near La Plata. Three naval lieutenants went to the US Naval Air Station at Pensacola in 1917, and the Naval Air Service was officially established on 17 October 1919 — the founding date used on this page. The Navy itself marks 4 May, the day of the Sheffield attack in 1982, as Naval Aviation Day in its calendar of anniversaries, while Wikipedia gives 11 February. A base at Punta Indio followed in 1928 and Comandante Espora near Bahía Blanca on 16 June 1939; by 1955 the service flew AT-6 trainers, AT-11 bombers and Catalina flying boats.
1955–1963: bombs on the Plaza de Mayo and a navy in revolt
Its first combat was against its own country. On 16 June 1955, according to Wikipedia’s account, 30 naval aircraft — 22 AT-6 Texans, five AT-11s and three Catalinas — joined rebel Air Force jets in bombing and strafing the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires in an attempt to kill President Juan Perón. Between 9.5 and 13.8 tonnes were dropped. A police report of 22 June 1955 counted 136 dead; later counts cited by Wikipedia run from 150 to 364, with more than 800 injured. The attack failed and at least 32 aircraft fled to Uruguay; Perón fell to the coup of September 1955. In April 1963 Punta Indio joined a Navy revolt: Wikipedia records rebel naval aircraft attacking the loyalist 8th Tank Regiment and an Air Force strike that destroyed five Navy aircraft on the ground before the revolt collapsed.
1959–1982: two carriers, Skyhawks and the Beagle crisis
The carrier era began with ARA Independencia, the former HMS Warrior, commissioned on 8 July 1959 with Corsairs, Texans and the first S-2 Trackers. Her catapult could not launch the F9F Panthers that arrived in August 1963, so the real step was ARA Veinticinco de Mayo, the former HMS Venerable and Dutch Karel Doorman, bought on 15 October 1968 and commissioned on 12 March 1969. In 1972 the Navy received 16 A-4Q Skyhawks, rebuilt from A-4Bs, to fly from her alongside Trackers and Sea Kings. In December 1978, during the Beagle crisis with Chile, she sailed with the fleet for Operation Soberanía, set for 22 December; papal mediation stopped it hours before the landings, according to Wikipedia. In 1979 the Navy ordered 14 Dassault Super Étendards, and five aircraft with five AM39 Exocets reached Argentina between August and November 1981.
1982: the Exocet war, as each side tells it
In the 1982 war over the islands Britain calls the Falkland Islands and Argentina the Islas Malvinas, the carrier’s Trackers found the British fleet on 1 May, but a dawn strike by eight A-4Qs never launched — for lack of wind according to the Naval Aviation article, because the fleet could not be relocated according to the carrier’s own article. From Río Grande two Super Étendards hit HMS Sheffield on 4 May, in what the Navy calls a coordinated action with an SP-2H Neptune; 20 crew died. On 25 May two Exocets struck the Atlantic Conveyor, killing 12. On 30 May Argentina says the last Exocet damaged HMS Invincible; Britain says no ship was hit. A-4Qs bombed HMS Ardent on 21 May, and MB-339s and Turbo Mentors flew from Stanley. Four naval aviators died and, per Wikipedia, 14 aircraft were lost.
1976–1983 and after: the death flights in court
The darkest chapter is not a war. Argentine and Spanish courts have convicted naval officers over the "death flights" of the 1976–1983 military government, in which prisoners were thrown from aircraft into the River Plate and the sea. Former naval officer Adolfo Scilingo described the flights publicly in the mid-1990s and was convicted of crimes against humanity by a Spanish court in 2005. In Argentina the ESMA trial ended on 29 November 2017 with 29 life sentences, and, according to Wikipedia’s summary of the verdict, pilots Mario Daniel Arrú and Alejandro Domingo D’Agostino were convicted over the victims of a flight logged on 14 December 1977. Earlier, on 22 August 1972, 16 prisoners were shot dead at the Almirante Zar naval air base in Trelew; the Navy called it an escape attempt, the three survivors testified that they were gunned down while lying face down.
1983–2026: no carrier, grounded jets and the Orion revival
After 1983 the arm bought P-3B Orions, Fennecs and new Sea Kings, replaced its lost MB-339s with Brazilian Xavantes and in 1991 sent Alouette IIIs to the Gulf on Argentine warships. But Veinticinco de Mayo was inoperable by 1990 and decommissioned in 1997, and since then carrier qualifications have been flown on Brazilian and US decks. The five Super Étendard Modernisé bought from France for 12.5 million euros (in 2017 or 2018, depending on the source) arrived in 2019 and never flew in Argentina, blocked by ejection-seat cartridges; the last S-2T Tracker was retired on 2 December 2025. The revival rests on four ex-Norwegian Orions, the first delivered in 2024, and on the Plan Dédalo announced at Punta Indio on 20 August 2026: AW109M helicopters, King Air 360ER patrol aircraft and V-BAT drones, as reported by Zona Militar.
The Argentine Naval Aviation in numbers
Servicio
- Nombre nativo
- Comando de la Aviación Naval (COAN)Aviación Naval Argentina is the common name; the command is the Comando de la Aviación Naval. The English Wikipedia article is titled "Argentine Naval Aviation"
- Fundado
- 17 October 1919Official establishment of the Naval Air Service per Wikipedia. First naval pilot 22 October 1912; Fuerte Barragán naval air station 11 February 1916
- Naval Aviation Day
- 4 MayThe Navy’s calendar of anniversaries marks 4 May (the 1982 attack on HMS Sheffield) as Día de la Aviación Naval; English Wikipedia gives 11 February, the Fuerte Barragán anniversary
- Parte de
- Armada Argentina (Argentine Navy)Organised as three naval air forces (Fuerzas Aeronavales 1, 2 and 3) under the Comando de la Aviación Naval, per Wikipedia
- Sede
- Comandante Espora, Bahía BlancaMain base; home of Fuerza Aeronaval 2 (embarked aircraft and helicopters)
- Chief of the Navy
- Adm. Juan Carlos RomayNamed on the Navy’s home page on 1 October 2026; the commander of naval aviation was not confirmed on an official page
Fortaleza
- Patrulla marítima
-
- P-3C Orion — 2 (4 bought)
- Beechcraft B200 Cormorán / King Air 200 — about 8
- Beechcraft TC-12B Huron — 2
Two P-3Cs in service (6-P-57 and 6-P-58), a third in refurbishment in the US, a fourth (P-3N) due in 2027 per Zona Militar. The six P-3Bs flown from 1997 are out of service
- Zapatos de deporte
- Beechcraft T-34C-1 Turbo Mentor — about 10Naval Aviation School at Punta Indio; count from Wikipedia’s fleet table
- Helicópteros
-
- SH-3H / UH-3H / AS-61D Sea King — about 6
- AS555 Fennec — 1
Counts from Wikipedia’s fleet table. Plan Dédalo retires the Fennec in 2027 and the Sea Kings later (2027 or from 2031, depending on the Zona Militar report)
- aviones de combate
- None flyingThe five Super Étendard Modernisé never flew in Argentina; their retirement was confirmed with Plan Dédalo in August 2026
- Aviones Total
- About 20Wikipedia’s infobox figure; no official total was found
- Personal
- No official personnel figure for the command was found
Infraestructura
- Bases aéreas principales
-
- Comandante Espora (Bahía Blanca)
- Punta Indio (Buenos Aires province)
- Almirante Zar (Trelew)
- Almirante Quijada (Río Grande)
- Ezeiza naval air station
Per Wikipedia; Río Grande was the strike base of 1982
- Portaaviones
- None since 1997Veinticinco de Mayo was inoperable by 1990 and decommissioned in 1997; carrier qualifications since 2001 on the Brazilian São Paulo and US carriers
- Antiguos transportistas
-
- Independencia (ex-HMS Warrior) — 1959–1970
- Veinticinco de Mayo (ex-HMS Venerable) — 1969–1997
Both were British Colossus-class light carriers
- Ships with helicopters
- Destroyers, corvettes and the icebreaker Almirante IrízarFennecs on the MEKO 360 destroyers; Sea Kings on the Irízar for the Antarctic summer campaign
- Con capacidad para aviones a reacción en la actualidad.
- None basedNo naval jets have flown since the original Super Étendards were grounded more than a decade ago, per Zona Militar
- Antarctic role
- Sea King detachment each summerAbout 200 flying hours supplying six Antarctic bases in 2025/26
- Equipment tenders 2026
- Radios and night-vision gogglesZona Militar reported Navy tenders for L3Harris FALCON III radios (July 2026) and new night-vision goggles (June 2026) for the Comando de Aviación Naval, and a P-3C simulator from 2029 under US cooperation
How the Argentine Naval Aviation is organised
One command, the Comando de la Aviación Naval, over three naval air forces: Fuerza Aeronaval 1 at Punta Indio with the school and the surveillance aircraft, Fuerza Aeronaval 2 at Comandante Espora with the embarked aircraft and helicopters, and Fuerza Aeronaval 3 at Trelew for sea control and search and rescue. With no carrier since 1997, no jets flying and the last S-2T Tracker retired on 2 December 2025, the front line is two ex-Norwegian P-3C Orions, with two more due by June 2027. The Argentine Air Force is a separate service and is not counted here.
Naval Aviation Command
The Armada’s air arm, organised as three naval air forces under one command, with its main base at Comandante Espora, per Wikipedia. Its own commander, the Comandante de la Aviación Naval, could not be confirmed on an official page. The head of the Navy is Admiral Juan Carlos Romay, named as chief of the naval staff on the Navy’s home page on 1 October 2026; the date he took over was not found.
Naval Exploration Squadron
Two ex-Norwegian P-3C Orions in service of four bought in 2023: the first was delivered in September 2024 according to Wikipedia and the second presented at Aeroparque on 6 November 2025. Zona Militar reports the third due in October 2026 and the P-3N in June 2027, and says the third will be incorporated at Comandante Espora, so the squadron’s home in 2026 is not certain. The six P-3Bs flown from 1997 are out of service.
Naval Maritime Surveillance Squadron
About eight Beechcraft B200 Cormorán and King Air 200s and two TC-12B Hurons, by Wikipedia’s count. Plan Dédalo, announced at Punta Indio on 20 August 2026, retires the B200 without a published date and brings in King Air 360ER patrol aircraft from 2027, according to Zona Militar.
Second Naval Helicopter Squadron
About six Sea Kings, among them two SH-3Hs remanufactured by Carson Helicopters that arrived on 11 October 2022. A detachment flies from the icebreaker Almirante Irízar each Antarctic summer, about 200 flying hours in 2025/26. Zona Militar has reported the start of their retirement both as 2027 and as 2031; no replacement has been chosen.
First Naval Helicopter Squadron
One AS555 Fennec for the MEKO 360 destroyers, by Wikipedia’s count. Plan Dédalo retires it in 2027 and brings four Leonardo AW109Ms, two in October 2027 and two in early 2029, according to Zona Militar.
Escuela de Aviación Naval
About ten Beechcraft T-34C-1 Turbo Mentors, per Wikipedia’s fleet table. Naval Turbo Mentors flew from the islands in 1982, and four were destroyed in the SAS raid on Pebble Island on 14–15 May.
Second Naval Fighter and Attack Squadron
The Exocet squadron of 1982, which flew its Super Étendards from Río Grande. No aircraft has flown for years: the five Super Étendard Modernisé delivered from France in 2019 never flew in Argentina, and Plan Dédalo confirmed the type’s retirement in August 2026, per Zona Militar. What becomes of the squadron was not published.
What the Argentine Naval Aviation flies today
Cada tipo está sujeto a cargos, vinculado a su página en el Libro de las Bestias, cuando existe. Las cifras corresponden a aeronaves registradas, no a aeronaves disponibles en un día determinado.
| Tipo | Role | En servicio | Desde | Unidades | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed P-3C Orion (ex-Royal Norwegian Air Force)En servicio | Maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft | 2 | 2024 | Two in service (6-P-57 and 6-P-58) by August 2026; a third (Norwegian 3298) in refurbishment in the United States and due in October 2026; the fourth, a P-3N, due in June 2027 according to Zona Militar. | ||
| Beechcraft B200 King Air / B200 CormoránEn servicio | Maritime surveillance, reconnaissance and utility | About eight: Wikipedia’s fleet table lists five B200 Cormorán, two King Air 200 for reconnaissance and one for transport. | ||||
| Beechcraft TC-12B HuronEn servicio | Utility and maritime surveillance | 2 | 2023 | Two, per Wikipedia’s fleet table. | ||
| Beechcraft T-34C-1 Turbo MentorEn servicio | Entrenador básico y ataque ligero | 10 | About ten, per Wikipedia’s fleet table; no official count found. | |||
| Sikorsky SH-3H / UH-3H and Agusta AS-61D Sea KingEn servicio | Anti-submarine, transport and Antarctic support helicopter | 6 | About six, per Wikipedia; two SH-3Hs (2-H-244 and 2-H-245) remanufactured by Carson Helicopters arrived at Comandante Espora on 11 October 2022 for 12.8 million dollars. | |||
| Eurocopter (Airbus Helicopters) AS555SN FennecEn servicio | Embarked light helicopter | 1 | One, per Wikipedia’s fleet table. |
Bajo pedido
| Tipo | Ordenado | Primera entrega | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leonardo AW109MBajo pedido | 4 | 2027 | Two in October 2027 and two in early 2029, replacing the Fennec, per Zona Militar’s report on Plan Dédalo; Wikipedia also lists four on order. | |
| Beechcraft King Air 360ER (maritime patrol)Bajo pedido | 2 | 2027 | Two maritime patrol aircraft expected in 2027 and two more planned for logistics under Plan Dédalo; Zona Militar had earlier reported up to four through US assistance. | |
| Lockheed P-3C / P-3N Orion (ex-Norwegian)Bajo pedido | 2 | 2026 | The third aircraft (a P-3C) due in October 2026 and the fourth (the P-3N) in June 2027, per Zona Militar. The third was paid for with 18 million dollars in February 2026. | |
| Shield AI V-BATBajo pedido | 4 | 2028 | Four vertical take-off drones for ships, 2028–2029, per Zona Militar’s report on Plan Dédalo; no contract was seen. |
Every type the Argentine Naval Aviation has retired
25 types, from the Grumman S-2A, S-2E and IAI S-2T Turbo Tracker to the Dassault Super Étendard Modernisé. Las cifras máximas corresponden a las aeronaves puestas en servicio durante toda su vida útil, no al número total de efectivos de la flota en una fecha concreta.
| Tipo | Role | Cima | Servido | Reemplazado por | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dassault Super Étendard Modernisé | Carrier strike fighter (never flown in Argentina) | 5 | 2019–2026 | Five ex-French Navy aircraft, including SEM 31 and SEM 44. | ||
| Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard | Carrier strike fighter with AM39 Exocet | 14 | 1981–2026 | 14 ordered in 1979; five and five Exocets arrived between August and November 1981, the rest by 1984. Second Naval Fighter and Attack Squadron.
MásFour flew in 1982 from Río Grande (one was cannibalised for spares). Grounded for more than a decade before Plan Dédalo confirmed the type’s retirement; 3-A-202, the Sheffield aircraft, is preserved at Comandante Espora. |
||
| Pilatus PC-6B2/H2 Turbo Porter | Utilidad | Placed in reserve in 2026, per Wikipedia. | ||||
| Grumman S-2A, S-2E and IAI S-2T Turbo Tracker | Aviones antisubmarinos embarcados | 1962–2025 | P-3C Orion | Six S-2As from 31 May 1962 and six S-2Es in 1978, per Zona Militar; the number converted to S-2T was not published in the sources read. | ||
| Lockheed P-3B Orion | Maritime patrol aircraft | 6 | 1997–2019 | P-3C Orion | Based at Almirante Zar, Trelew. Wikipedia’s Orion article dates the service 1997–2019 and calls them non-operational though being refurbished in 2021. | |
| Bell UH-1H Iroquois | Utility helicopter for the marines | Bought after 1983 for the Argentine Marines; Third Naval Helicopter Squadron, in reserve since 2008 and later passed to the Army, per Wikipedia. | ||||
| McDonnell Douglas A-4Q Skyhawk | Carrier-borne attack aircraft | 16 | 1972–1988 | Super Étendard | 16 A-4Bs rebuilt to A-4Q standard, delivered 1972. Third Naval Fighter and Attack Squadron, mainly aboard Veinticinco de Mayo. Ten flew in 1982 from Río Grande and hit HMS Ardent on 21 May.
MásLosses in 1982 are given as three in Wikipedia’s Skyhawk article and two in its Argentine air forces article. |
|
| Lockheed SP-2H Neptune | Patrulla marítima | 2 | EMB 111, then L-188 Electra and P-3B | Two left in 1982. | ||
| Aermacchi MB-339A | Entrenador avanzado y ataque ligero | 10 | 1981– | EMB-326 Xavante | Ten ordered in 1980 and delivered in 1981; six were at Stanley in 1982.
MásLieutenant Benítez was killed in a crash on 3 May and Lieutenant Miguel on 27 May (Blowpipe, Goose Green); three were captured. Withdrawn in the 1990s (year not given). |
|
| Embraer EMB-326 Xavante (Aermacchi MB-326) | Entrenador y ataque ligero | Brazilian-built aircraft acquired after 1982 to replace the lost MB-339s, per Wikipedia; numbers and dates not found. | ||||
| Grumman F9F Panther | Carrier jet fighter | 1963– | A-4Q Skyhawk | The first naval jet fighters, arriving in August 1963; Independencia’s catapult could not launch them. Used in the 1962–1963 internal conflicts per Wikipedia. | ||
| Grumman F9F Cougar (TF-9J) | Entrenador a reacción | Wikipedia calls it the first jet to break the sound barrier in Argentina. | ||||
| Vought F4U Corsair | cazabombardero embarcado | Embarked on Independencia from 1959; flown in the 1962–1963 internal conflicts per Wikipedia. | ||||
| North American AT-6 / SNJ-5C Texan | Entrenador y ataque ligero | 22 AT-6s took part in the bombing of the Plaza de Mayo on 16 June 1955; SNJ-5Cs embarked on Independencia. | ||||
| Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan | Bomber trainer | Five took part in the 16 June 1955 attack. | ||||
| Consolidated PBY Catalina | hidroavión | Three took part in the 16 June 1955 attack. | ||||
| Embraer EMB 111 Bandeirante (leased) | Patrulla marítima | 2 | 1982– | Two leased from the Brazilian Air Force during the 1982 war to replace the Neptunes. | ||
| Lockheed L-188 Electra | Patrullaje y transporte marítimo | P-3B Orión | Listed by Wikipedia among maritime patrol types; dates not found. | |||
| Fokker F28 Fellowship | Transporte y patrulla marítima | Listed by Wikipedia; dates not found. | ||||
| Douglas C-47 Dakota | Transport and Antarctic support | Used extensively in Antarctica; Wikipedia credits Captain Hermes Quijada with the first Argentine landing at the South Pole in 1962, flying from Ellsworth Station. | ||||
| Troyano T-28 norteamericano | Trainer and carrier light attack | Embarked on Independencia, per Wikipedia. | ||||
| Aeroespacial Alouette III | Embarked light helicopter | AS555 Fennec | Embarked on Veinticinco de Mayo; one was lost with the cruiser General Belgrano in 1982; deployed on Argentine warships in the 1991 Gulf War. | |||
| Westland Lynx (Sea Lynx) | Embarked helicopter | Listed by Wikipedia; numbers and dates not found. | ||||
| Sikorsky S-51 and S-55 | Early helicopters | Listed by Wikipedia among early helicopters; dates not found. | ||||
| Grumman J2F Duck | Amphibian reconnaissance | Listed by Wikipedia; dates not found. |
Where Argentine Naval Aviation flies from
Los pines negros son bases activas. Comandante Espora, near Bahía Blanca since 1939, is the main base and headquarters; Punta Indio has the school and the surveillance aircraft, Almirante Zar at Trelew the Orions according to Wikipedia, and Río Grande in Tierra del Fuego was the strike base from which the Super Étendards flew every Exocet mission of 1982. Stanley and Pebble Island are listed for the 1982 war only; the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) is disputed between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
| Base | OACI | Estado | Pista | Unidades y aeronaves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almirante Zar NavalTrelewChubut Province (Trelew) | SAVT | Activo | 07/252.560 metrosconcreto |
|
| Comandante Espora NavalBuenos Aires Province (Bahía Blanca) | SAZB | Activo | 06/242,030 m17L/35R2,616 m17R/35L1,498 m |
|
| Ezeiza Naval Air StationBuenos Aires Province (Ezeiza) | Activo | |||
| Punta Indio NavalBuenos Aires Province | SAAI | Activo | 06/242.121 m07/251.400 m12/301.195 m |
|
| Río Grande NavalAlmirante QuijadaTierra del Fuego Province (Río Grande) | SAWE | Activo | 08/262.000 metros |
|
Ninguna base aérea coincide con esa búsqueda.
Who is stationed where in the Argentine Naval Aviation
Unidades voladoras por base, unidades actuales primero. Argentine naval squadrons are escuadrillas, numbered within their role — the First and Second Naval Helicopter Squadrons, the Second Naval Fighter and Attack Squadron — or named for their task, like the Naval Exploration Squadron of the Orions. The 1982 detachments at Río Grande, Stanley and Pebble Island are listed as former units. Where a squadron’s base or status rests on Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.
- 2.ª Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque (Second Naval Fighter and Attack Squadron)Carrier strike squadron · active
- Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard, Dassault Super Étendard Modernisé
- 2.ª Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicópteros (Second Naval Helicopter Squadron)Medium helicopter squadron · active
- Sikorsky SH-3H / UH-3H and Agusta AS-61D Sea King
- 1.ª Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicópteros (First Naval Helicopter Squadron)Embarked light helicopter squadron · active
- Eurocopter AS555SN Fennec
- Escuadrilla Aeronaval Antisubmarina (Naval Anti-Submarine Squadron)Anti-submarine squadron · active
- Grumman S-2A/S-2E and IAI S-2T Turbo Tracker, Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter
- 3.ª Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicópteros (Third Naval Helicopter Squadron)
- Bell UH-1H Iroquois
- Escuela de Aviación Naval (Naval Aviation School, ESAN)Escuela de entrenamiento de vuelo · activa
- Beechcraft T-34C-1 Turbo Mentor
- Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Vigilancia Marítima (Naval Maritime Surveillance Squadron)Maritime surveillance squadron · active
- Beechcraft B200 King Air / B200 Cormorán, Beechcraft TC-12B Huron
- 1.ª Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Ataque (First Naval Attack Squadron)1981–2008
- Aermacchi MB-339A, Embraer EMB-326 Xavante
- Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Exploración (Naval Exploration Squadron)Escuadrón de patrulla marítima · activo
- Lockheed P-3C Orion, Lockheed P-3B Orion
- 2.ª Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque (1982 deployment)1982–1982
- Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard
- 3.ª Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque (1982 deployment)1982–1982
- McDonnell Douglas A-4Q Skyhawk
No se encontró ninguna unidad que coincida con esa búsqueda.
Argentine Naval Aviation milestones, 1914 to today
22 October: Lieutenant Melchor Escola graduates as the first Argentine naval pilot.
11 February: a naval air station and school is created at Fuerte Barragán near La Plata.
17 October: the Naval Air Service is officially established.
The Punta Indio naval air base is established.
16 June: Base Aeronaval Comandante Espora opens near Bahía Blanca.
16 June: 30 naval aircraft join the bombing of the Plaza de Mayo against President Perón; the coup of September removes him.
8 July: the light carrier Independencia (ex-HMS Warrior) is commissioned; the first S-2 Trackers follow on 31 May 1962.
April: Punta Indio joins the Navy revolt and an Air Force strike destroys five naval aircraft. August: the first F9F Panther jets arrive.
12 March: Veinticinco de Mayo (ex-HMS Venerable) is commissioned; 16 A-4Q Skyhawks follow in 1972.
December: the carrier sails for Operation Soberanía against Chile, called off on 22 December after papal mediation.
August–November: the first five Super Étendards and five AM39 Exocets arrive.
4 May: Exocet attack on HMS Sheffield. 21 May: A-4Qs bomb HMS Ardent. 25 May: Atlantic Conveyor hit. Four naval aviators die in the war.
Veinticinco de Mayo is decommissioned; the P-3B Orion enters service at Trelew.
29 November: the ESMA trial verdict convicts officers including two pilots over the death flights.
Five Super Étendard Modernisé arrive from France; none flies in Argentina.
September: the first ex-Norwegian P-3C Orion is delivered.
6 November: the second P-3C is presented at Aeroparque. 2 December: the last S-2T Turbo Tracker is retired at Comandante Espora.
20 August: Plan Dédalo announced at Punta Indio — Super Étendard retirement confirmed, AW109M, King Air 360ER and V-BAT planned.
Every war and armed action of Argentine Naval Aviation
Salidas y pérdidas donde consta en el registro, y un espacio en blanco honesto donde no.
- The bombing of the Plaza de Mayo and the 1955 coup 1955 Rebel naval aircraft, with rebel Air Force jets, bombed and strafed the Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada in an attempt to kill President Juan Perón
- The 1962–1963 internal conflicts and the Navy revolt 1962–1963 Naval aircraft flew in the clashes between military factions; in April 1963 rebel aircraft from Punta Indio attacked the loyalist 8th Tank Regiment
- Operation Soberanía (Beagle crisis) 1978 The carrier Veinticinco de Mayo sailed with A-4Qs, Trackers and Sea Kings for a planned operation against Chile; Trackers also flew in the December deployment
- Guerra de Malvinas (Guerra de Malvinas) 1982 Exocet strikes with the Super Étendard, bombing attacks with the A-4Q, armed reconnaissance and light attack with MB-339s and Turbo Mentors from the islands, maritime patrol and helicopter support
- The 1990–1991 Gulf War deployment 1990–1991 Alouette III helicopters embarked on Argentine warships, with cargo aircraft in support, under a UN mandate
Argentine Naval Aviation news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Argentine Naval Aviation and the aircraft it flies. Esta lista se actualiza automáticamente: las nuevas historias de Afterburner aparecen aquí de forma automática.
Everything people ask about the Argentine Naval Aviation
What is Argentine Naval Aviation called in Spanish?
When was Argentine Naval Aviation founded?
What aircraft does the Argentine Navy fly in 2026?
Does Argentina still fly the Super Étendard?
Did Argentine Navy jets sink British ships in 1982?
Did Argentina damage HMS Invincible?
Does Argentina have an aircraft carrier?
What role did naval aviation play in the 1955 bombing of the Plaza de Mayo?
Were naval aircraft used in the death flights?
Where are Argentine Navy aircraft based?
Read the aircraft the Argentine Naval Aviation flew
Cada tipo tiene una página en el Libro de las Bestias, primero en servicio y luego por el año en que abandonó la flota.
Todos los datos, verificados
- Argentina.gob.ar: Armada Argentina (home page)Read 1 October 2026: Chief of the General Staff of the Navy, Almirante Juan Carlos Romay; links to Aviación Naval, Gesta de Malvinas and Efemérides Navales.
- Argentina.gob.ar: Armada Argentina – Aviación NavalThe Navy’s own page for naval aviation; listed for readers. The fetch was refused with HTTP 429 and its content was not used.
- Argentina.gob.ar: Armada Argentina – Gesta de MalvinasOfficial Navy account: the 4 May 1982 attack on HMS Sheffield as a coordinated action between an SP-2H Neptune and two Super Étendards, described as an unprecedented tactic.
- Argentina.gob.ar: Armada Argentina – Efemérides Navales, May"4 de mayo – Día de la Aviación Naval": Bedacarratz and Mayora, Second Naval Fighter and Attack Squadron, Exocet attack on HMS Sheffield with KC-130 refuelling; 21 May 1982 Crippa’s Aermacchi attack, which the Navy says damaged HMS Argonaut.
- Argentina.gob.ar: Armada Argentina – Efemérides Navales (index and book)Index of the Navy’s calendar of naval anniversaries; full book at https://www.argentina.gob.ar/sites/default/files/efemerides_navales.pdf (not read).
- Zona Militar: Con la consolidación de los P-3C Orion, es hora que la Aviación Naval Argentina recupere la capacidad antibuque y antisubmarina (13 April 2026)Two P-3Cs in service and a third awaited; S-2T withdrawn; Super Étendard Modernisé judged unrecoverable; P-3C the only anti-ship and anti-submarine platform left.
- Zona Militar: Con los trabajos de pintura avanza en EE.UU. la puesta a punto del tercer P-3C Orion de la Armada Argentina (7 August 2026)Third P-3C (Norwegian 3298): 18 million dollars paid in February 2026, inspection from March 2026, painting at Mena, Arkansas; destination Comandante Espora; 6-P-57 and 6-P-58 in service; King Air 360ER awaited.
- Zona Militar: Cobertura – La Armada Argentina presentó oficialmente su segundo avión P-3C Orión (6 November 2025)6-P-58 presented at Aeroparque on 6 November 2025 before Defence Minister Luis Petri and the Navy chief, Vice Admiral Carlos María Allievi; 2023 contract for three P-3Cs and one P-3N.
- Zona Militar: Sin alternativas, la Armada Argentina evalúa la radiación de los cazas Super Étendard Modernisé adquiridos a Francia en 2019 (9 May 2025)No test flight since delivery; one engine ground run in mid-2024; blocked by Martin-Baker seat cartridges, parachutes, minor cracks and engines; retirement under evaluation.
- Zona Militar: A la espera de apoyo para su vuelta al servicio, la Armada Argentina exhibe a dos Super Étendard en la Base Aeronaval Comandante Espora (28 March 2024)3-A-202 and SEM 44 displayed; SEM 31 and SUE 3-A-209 also awaiting a seat solution; SEM agreement January 2018, five aircraft for 12.5 million euros in March 2018, arrival 2019.
- Zona Militar: Super Étendard, Fennec, Sea King y B-200: las bajas confirmadas por la Armada Argentina tras el anuncio del Plan Dédalo (20 August 2026)Plan Dédalo presented at Punta Indio: retirement of the Super Étendard, Fennec (2027), B-200 and Sea King; four AW109M, two King Air 360ER (plus two), four P-3C/N, four V-BAT drones.
- Zona Militar: La Armada Argentina busca adquirir un nuevo helicóptero mediano ante la futura baja de sus Sea King SH-3 (21 August 2026)Sea King withdrawal to begin in 2031; no replacement chosen; Fennec to be replaced by AW109 by 2027.
- Zona Militar: Los Sea King modernizados de la Armada Argentina arribaron a la Base Aeronaval Comandante Espora (11 October 2022)2-H-244 and 2-H-245 remanufactured by Carson Helicopters, 12,835,000 dollars from FONDEF.
- Zona Militar: Los helicópteros Sea King de la Armada Argentina regresaron a su base tras finalizar la Campaña Antártica 2025/2026 (7 April 2026)SH-3H of the Second Helicopter Squadron on the icebreaker Almirante Irízar: about 200 hours over four months; six Antarctic bases supplied; 40 personnel.
- Zona Militar: Después de más de 60 años de servicio, la Armada Argentina retiró al último de sus aviones de guerra antisubmarina S-2T Turbo Tracker (2 December 2025)Ceremony at Comandante Espora for 2-AS-23; six S-2As from 31 May 1962, six S-2Es in 1978, turboprop conversions in Israel from 1993.
- Zona Militar: A la espera de los P-3C Orion, la Armada Argentina analiza recuperar a los S-2T Turbotracker (16 February 2024)Headline and date only.
- Zona Militar: Southern Seas 2026 – Los helicópteros Sea King de la Armada Argentina ya operan desde el portaaviones nuclear USS Nimitz (28 April 2026)Headline and date only.
- Zona Militar: La Armada Argentina realizó ejercicios de lanzamiento de torpedos con sus helicópteros Sea King (24 June 2026)Headline and date only.
- Zona Militar: La Fuerza Aérea y la Armada Argentina dan el primer paso para la integración operativa entre sus cazas F-16 y aviones P-3C Orión (28 August 2026)Headline and date only.
- Zona Militar: La Armada Argentina incorporará a partir de 2029 un simulador para sus P-3C Orión (22 May 2026)Headline and date only: simulator from 2029 under the cooperation programme with the United States.
- Zona Militar: La Armada Argentina planea modernizar uno de sus helicópteros UH-3H Sea King para reforzar su capacidad de reabastecimiento antártico (23 February 2026)Headline and date only.
- Zona Militar: La Armada Argentina licita la compra de equipos de comunicación L3Harris FALCON III para el Comando de Aviación Naval (13 July 2026)Headline and date only.
- Zona Militar: La Armada Argentina licitó la compra de nuevos visores nocturnos para el Comando de Aviación Naval (30 June 2026)Headline and date only.
- Ministerio de Transporte: Aeródromos, lista y detalle (datos.transporte.gob.ar, updated 12 April 2023)Official open dataset (CC BY 4.0), CSV at https://datos.transporte.gob.ar/dataset/62b3fe5f-ffe6-4d8f-9d59-bfabe75d1ee8/resource/eb54e49e-9a5a-4614-91f4-526c650d0105/download/aeropuertos_detalle.csv. Reference points and elevations: SAZB Bahía Blanca/Comandante Espora 38°43’39"S 62°09’12"W, 75 m, joint use; SAVT Trelew 43°13’12"S 65°16’59"W, 39 m; SAWE Río Grande 53°46’39"S 67°44’58"W, 20 m. Punta Indio is not listed.
- ANAC Argentina: Servicio de Información Aeronáutica (AIP and MADHEL)The national AIP portal. Its aerodrome pages could not be retrieved (the AIP index loads sections by script and the MADHEL page returned a redirect loop), so no runway figure on this page comes from the AIP.
- Zona Militar: Base Naval Integrada Ushuaia (12 September 2026)Planned integrated naval base near Ushuaia airport with unspecified "capacidades aeronavales"; works from mid-2027 to 2029; no naval air unit named.
- Zona Militar: Galería – Jornadas de puertas abiertas en la Base Aeronaval Comandante Espora (9 May 2023)Headline and date only.
- Zona Militar: Finalizó en la Base Aeronaval Comandante Espora el Curso de Paracaidismo Militar Avanzado 2023 (1 August 2023)Headline and date only (course began 12 July 2023).
Cifras verificadas el 1 de octubre de 2026. Las páginas de Orden de Batalla se regeneran a partir de un único conjunto de datos; si algún número aquí no coincide con el de una página del Libro de las Bestias, esta página es la más reciente de las dos.
Photographs: Photo: Eric Friedebach / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Olga Ernst / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Gordon Leggett / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: kitmasterbloke / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: BugWarp / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Max Biesecker / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Konstandinos Goumenidis / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: JDrewes (see www.jandrewes.de), slight edit by Alvesgaspar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Don Ramey Logan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Articseahorse / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Alan Wilson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Julio Benitez / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) · Photo: Aeroprints.com / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)