Historic: The US will send planes and drones to the Argentine Navy to monitor the Argentine Sea.

The Argentine Navy and the United States signed a strategic military cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening surveillance and control of the South Atlantic, as part of an alliance promoted by the government of Javier Milei along with the U.S. Department of Defense.

The agreement includes the incorporation of two Textron B-360ER MPA aircraft, surveillance drones, advanced technological systems, and specialized training to enhance monitoring capabilities over the Argentine Sea and the Exclusive Economic Zone.

The United States will send two maritime patrol aircraft

The core of the agreement is the provision of two Textron B-360ER MPA aircraft, specifically configured for:

• maritime surveillance

• aeronaval reconnaissance

• oceanic control

• ISR operations (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)

The aircraft will arrive fully equipped with:

• surface search radars

• infrared sensors

• satellite communications

• automatic identification systems (AIS) for vessels

• data links and operational command systems

The first aircraft will arrive in Argentina in December of this year and the second during 2027.

The goal: to strengthen control over the South Atlantic

The agreement directly aims to enhance Argentina's surveillance capacity over:

• the Exclusive Economic Zone

• jurisdictional waters

• maritime traffic in the South Atlantic

The government considers it crucial to improve monitoring of foreign fishing fleets operating near the 200-mile limit, especially vessels from China linked to illegal fishing and the depletion of Argentine maritime resources.

There will also be drones and cutting-edge technology

The program also includes:

• drones capable of operating from ocean patrol vessels

• simulators for P-3C Orion aircraft

• technology transfer

• specialized military training

• integrated maritime surveillance systems

Among the systems already incorporated is the electro-optical camera Wescam MX-10, used for reconnaissance and tracking of vessels.

A strategic program driven by the Pentagon

The agreement is developed under the Section 333 of the U.S. Department of Defense, a mechanism that allows Washington to train and equip allied armed forces to face shared threats.

The program is expected to last five years and is part of the hemispheric maritime security strategy promoted by the United States in the South Atlantic and Antarctic region.

The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires publicly celebrated the agreement with a strong message:

“Stronger together. Safer together.”.

Milei accelerates strategic alignment with Washington

The signing of the agreement deepens the rapprochement between the government of Javier Milei and the United States in:

• defense

The alignment has been evident in recent months with:

• Milei's visit to the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier

• joint naval exercises

• intelligence and security agreements

• cooperation with the U.S. Southern Command

The Navy seeks to regain strategic capabilities

For the Argentine Navy, the agreement represents one of the most important incorporations in recent years.

The new platforms will significantly expand capabilities for:

• oceanic patrolling

• detection of vessels

• maritime traffic control

• aeronaval surveillance

• protection of fishing resources

Official sources also clarified that the program will focus exclusively on waters under Argentine control and does not include the disputed area around the Falkland Islands.

The agreement thus consolidates a new chapter in military cooperation between Buenos Aires and Washington, in a context where Milei's government seeks to strengthen Argentine maritime defense and strategically align with the United States and the West.