The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell DouglasA-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998. The program was named Fightinghawk in recognition of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which was the source of its new avionics.
The supply of modern combat aircraft had been restricted since the United States had imposed an arms embargo in 1978 for human rights abuses;[1] there were further restrictions when the United Kingdom also imposed an arms embargo in 1982. The only combat aircraft that the Air Force could obtain were 10 Mirage 5Ps transferred from the Peruvian Air Force, 19 Six-Day War veteran Mirage IIICJs from Israel, and 2 Mirage IIIB trainers from the French Air Force.[citation needed]
In 1994, the United States made a counteroffer to modernize 36 former US Marine Corps A-4M Skyhawks in a US$282million deal that would be carried out by Lockheed Martin and included the privatization of the Fabrica Militar de Aviones (Military Aircraft Factory – FMA), which was renamed Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina SA (LMAASA) afterward.[citation needed] In 2010, LMAASA reverted to the Argentine government as Fabrica Argentina de Aviones (FADEA).[3][4]
The A-4Ms were equipped with the TV and laser spot tracker Hughes AN/ASB-19 Angle Rate Bombing System, but this was removed after the conversion into A-4ARs, as the radar could provide the same data.[citation needed]
The contract stipulated that 8 airframes would be refurbished at the Lockheed-Martin Plant in Palmdale, California and the rest (27) in Córdoba, Argentina at LMAASA. At least ten TA-4J and A-4M airframes for use as spare parts, eight additional engines, and a new A-4AR simulator were also delivered.[citation needed]
The Fightinghawks, having received Air Force serials C-901 to C-936, saw their first group arrive in Argentina on 18 December 1997 and the first "Argentine" A-4AR was rolled out on 3 August 1998 at Cordoba. The last one, number 936, was delivered to the Air Force in March 2000. Two aircraft (a one-seat and a two-seat) remained some time in the United States for weapons homologation. All of the A-4ARs were delivered to the 5th Air Brigade (V Brigada Aérea) at Villa Reynolds, San Luis Province, where they replaced two squadrons of Falklands/Malvinas veteran A-4P (locally known as A-4B) and A-4C. They were soon deployed in rotation around the country from Rio Gallegos in the south to Resistencia in the north where they were used to intercept smugglers and drug trafficking airplanes.[citation needed]
In September 1998, just months after their arrival and again in April 2001, United States Air Force F-16s visited Villa Reynolds for the Southern Falcon joint exercise, known as Aguila (Spanish for Eagle) in Argentina. In 2004, the A-4ARs went abroad for the joint exercise Cruzex, along with Brazilian F-5s and Mirages, Venezuelan F-16s and French Mirage 2000s.[citation needed]
In July 2006 they were deployed to Cordoba province for the Mercosur's 30th Presidents Summit, while in August and September they went north again to Brazil for the Cruzex III joint exercise with Brazil, Chile, France, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.[citation needed]
In August 2009 they were deployed to Bariloche for the UNASUR Presidents summit. Later that month they participated at Reconquista, Santa Fe of the Pre-Salitreofficial video an exercise of preparation for the Salitre IIoficial video of next October in Chile with Chile, Brazil, France and the United States.[8][9]
Fly by over the Del Libertador avenue in Buenos Aires, May 2017
In August 2010, the aircraft enforced a no-fly zone at San Juan for the Mercosur's Presidents Summit. On September they joined the rest of the air force aircraft at Reconquista, Santa Fe for the ICARO III integration manoeuvers.[11] On November they deployed to Tandil airbase for the XX Ibero-American Summit held at Mar del Plata.[citation needed]
In January 2016, Argentine Minister of Defence Julio Martinez confirmed that all Air Force Lockheed Martin A-4AR Skyhawk (Fightinghawk) fighters were grounded. Originally this was due to the expiry of the explosive cartridges in their ejection seats, but later it became apparent that there were additional problems.[12] Only 4-5 were found airworthy with the rest in storage at Villa Reynolds.[13]
In May 2017, they participated in the celebrations of the 2017 anniversary of the May Revolution.[14]
By 2020, as few as six of the aircraft were still reported as operational.[15] In March 2024, Argentina signed a letter of intent with Denmark to acquire 24 used F-16 fighter aircraft as likely replacements for its Fightinghawks.[16]
Argentine Air Force McDonnell Douglas A-4AR Fightinghawk
Variants
A-4AR
32 converted from A-4Ms
OA-4AR
4 converted from TA-4Fs
Operators
Argentina Air Force McDonnell Douglas A-4AR Fightinghawk.
Argentine Air Force – 36 received (32 A-4AR, 4 OA-4AR); as few as 6 reported operational in 2020;[17] operational availability reported in 2022 at perhaps 15-20% of 23 aircraft[18]
Accidents
As of August 2020[update] four of the type have been lost in 20 years of service:
6 July 2005: A-4AR registration C-906 near Justo Daract, San Luis Province, pilot Lt Horacio Martín Flores (29 years old) died.[19]
24 August 2005: A-4AR registration C-936 near Río Cuarto, Cordoba, pilot ejected safely.[20]
14 February 2013: OA-4AR registration C-902 crashed on landing at Angel Aragonés airport near Santiago del Estero, both pilots ejected safely.[21]
5 August 2020: A-4AR registration C-925 near Villa Reynolds, San Luís, pilot Cpt Gonzalo Fabián Britos Venturini ejected but was found dead.[22]
Specifications (A-4AR Fightinghawk)
Orthographically projected diagram of the A-4 Skyhawk.
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