In the framework of the strengthening of bilateral ties in the matter of defense, Argentina and Norway continue affirming their strategic cooperation, driven by the recent acquisition of P-3C/N Orion maritime patrol aircraft for the Argentine Navy. In this context, the Secretary of International Affairs for Defense, Juan Battaleme, held a meeting with the Norwegian ambassador Halvor Sætre, where both parties celebrated the progress achieved and ratified the will to continue expanding collaboration in the field of defense and maritime security.

The meeting coincided with a relevant milestone for the Argentine Navy: the arrival in the country of the second P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, coming from the United States. The aircraft, which will soon receive the registration “6-P-58,” landed on Monday the 14th of the current month at the Comandante Espora Naval Air Base, after making a technical stopover in Peru during its ferry flight from the U.S. With this incorporation, the force continues advancing in the recovery of its long-range exploration and surveillance capability, an essential aspect for the control of the South Atlantic and the protection of national maritime resources.

In accordance with official planning, the remaining P-3C/N aircraft will arrive in the country in a staggered manner during 2026, at a rate of one per semester, while their fine-tuning is completed in the United States by the company MHD-Rockland. Once operational, these aircraft will be fully integrated into the Naval Air Exploration Squadron, based at the Almirante Zar Base, allowing the reestablishment of a capability that had been lost due to the lack of operational capability of the P-3B Orion acquired in the 1990s.

The Argentine interest in strengthening cooperation with Norway is not limited to the air domain. Within the strategic studies promoted by the Navy, the possibility of exploring opportunities linked to the modernization of the sea fleet is being analyzed, which could include conversations about the eventual availability of the Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates. These ships, considered the core of Norwegian naval defense, stand out for their modern integrated combat system, their anti-submarine warfare capability, variable depth sonar, and state-of-the-art anti-ship missiles.

Norway, for its part, has initiated a process of progressive replacement of its Fridtjof Nansen frigates by units of the new Type 26 class, of British design. This transition opens a window of opportunity for eventual cooperation or transfer agreements, which could translate into a qualitative leap for the Argentine Navy by incorporating means of high technological level and proven operational capability in oceanic environments. If materialized, the operation would reinforce the naval recovery and modernization process that the country has been developing in recent years.

With the arrival of the P-3C/N and the interest in future negotiations, Argentina consolidates a link with Norway that transcends the mere acquisition of material. It is a sustained step towards a broader cooperation, based on the transfer of knowledge, technical training, and the modernization of capabilities, fundamental pillars for the maritime projection and the sovereign defense of the South Atlantic.

*Images used for illustrative purposes.

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