Page 67 - AirForces - Monthly (February 2020)

Big ‘Pigs’ Aires, its past has given it a rich history and

A
rgentine military aviation was born in
the small town of El Palomar. Sitting
on the edge of the city of Buenos
it retains its importance today as the home
of the I Brigada Aérea (1st Air Brigade) of the
Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air
Force). This wing is the FAA’s main transport
unit, with the resident Grupo Aéreo 1 (1st Air
Group) consisting of a pair of squadrons. I
Escuadrón flies three variants of the Hercules,
with II Escuadrón being the last custodian of
the Fokker F28-1000C, the final example of
which was being reactivated last November.
With the FAA Fokker F27s having bowed out
in 2016, the importance of the C-130s – locally
known as ‘Chanchas’ (pigs) – has never been
greater. They truly are the backbone of the FAA.
Argentina first expressed interest in the
Hercules in 1961, but a plan to acquire C-130Bs
failed. Following the Cuban Missile Crisis in
November 1962, the Organization of American
States activated the Inter-American Treaty of Above: Paratroopers stream from the open fuselage side door of an FAA Hercules. FAA C-130s have to be a
Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR), thus constituting jack of all trades, flying paratroopers, vehicles and cargo, and supporting medical evacuations for all Argentine
a combined operations command. For this, the armed forces – not to mention occasionally transporting bulky cargo for private companies.
Below: Up close and personal with KC-130H TC-69 of the I Brigada Aérea. Delivered to Argentina in May 1979,
FAA made its HU-16 Albatross crews available, TC-69 is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm – having undergone an avionics upgrade with L3 Communications
specifically those that had been appointed for Integrated Systems it was redelivered to the FAA in early 2016. All photos Esteban G Brea unless stated

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