Argentina receives Super Etendards

摘要

THE COMANDO de Aviacion Naval Argentina (COAN, Argentine Naval Aviation) has received the five Super Etendard Modernise (SEM) fighters purchased from France at a cost of $15m. The former French Navy jets - serials 1 (built in 1978), 31 (1980), 41 and 44 (both 1981) and 51 (1982) - arrived in the port of Bahia Blanca on May 11, aboard the cargo ship Lily Auerbach. The vessel had departed France in April 17. The SEMs will be operated by the 2° Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque (2nd Naval Aviation Fighter and Attack Squadron) at Base Aeronaval Comandante Espora. The squadron's existing fleet of ten Super Etendards was grounded in 2011 due to a lack of spares. Two of the ex-French Navy aircraft will be returned to airworthiness first, to train new pilots. Work will then begin to recover the older airframes - which actually have fewer hours than the SEMs. Once the service life of the former French Navy jets expires, it is planned to transfer their more advanced avionics into the original Super Etendards.