Latin America
THIS YEAR’S Dédalo exercise staged by the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force) was the last involving the IA-58 Pucará operating in its original counter-insurgency and ground-attack roles. The manoeuvres were centred on the V Brigada Aérea in Villa Reynolds, San Luis province, and began on September 5. Together with its last Pucarás, the III Brigada Aérea also deployed EMB-312A Tucanos from its Reconquista base in Santa Fe. The Tucanos will replace the Pucará on border patrol duties.
Pucarás conducted day and night attack missions using 130kg (287lb) bombs, as well as employing their 7.62mm machine guns for a final time over V Brigada Aérea’s range.
The attack-configured IA-58 was retired from service on October 4 and replaced by a single IA-58H Pucará II refitted with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-62 engines and equipped for unarmed air surveillance and vigilance missions.
The force plans to convert another two airframes to this configuration next year if funds are available.
A full report on the Dédalo exercise will appear in the December issue.
Chilean KC-130R in Mobility Guardian
FUERZA AÉREA de Chile (FACh, Chilean Air Force) KC-130R serial 992 takes off from Fairchild Air Force…
