Argentina Halts Talks with IAI on Upgraded Kfir Jets
IAI confirmed that the deal is now on hold, adding that "other options are being evaluated with Argentina"
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 20/08/2017
By Facmilitar - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35222782
Argentina has paused negotiations over the possible purchase of upgraded Kfir fighters from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), despite indications earlier this year that a deal for 12-14 aircraft could be finalized, according to Flight Global.
Negotiations on upgrading the aircraft began in 2014 when the deal was estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars. In the past three years, many rumors have surfaced regarding Argentina's desire to pursue other options, including Swedish Gripens, Russian MiGs or Chinese fighter jets. None of the alternatives materialized into a deal.
While the Kfir first entered operational service more than 40 years ago, IAI was offering the Argentine military upgraded Block 60 variants, which includes a GE Aviation J79 engine, ELTA Systems' EL/M-2032 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and an open architecture avionics suite that allows customers to install its own systems.
According to Defense Industry Daily, pricing of the Kfirs has been a sticking point in the negotiations, and news that Argentina has stopped talk may indicate that they may instead move ahead with an offer to purchase six second-hand Super Étendard carrier-borne fighters from France.
IAI confirmed that the deal is now on hold, adding that "other options are being evaluated with Argentina."
IAI confirmed that the deal is now on hold, adding that "other options are being evaluated with Argentina"
By Facmilitar - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35222782
Argentina has paused negotiations over the possible purchase of upgraded Kfir fighters from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), despite indications earlier this year that a deal for 12-14 aircraft could be finalized, according to Flight Global.
Negotiations on upgrading the aircraft began in 2014 when the deal was estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars. In the past three years, many rumors have surfaced regarding Argentina's desire to pursue other options, including Swedish Gripens, Russian MiGs or Chinese fighter jets. None of the alternatives materialized into a deal.
While the Kfir first entered operational service more than 40 years ago, IAI was offering the Argentine military upgraded Block 60 variants, which includes a GE Aviation J79 engine, ELTA Systems' EL/M-2032 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and an open architecture avionics suite that allows customers to install its own systems.
According to Defense Industry Daily, pricing of the Kfirs has been a sticking point in the negotiations, and news that Argentina has stopped talk may indicate that they may instead move ahead with an offer to purchase six second-hand Super Étendard carrier-borne fighters from France.
IAI confirmed that the deal is now on hold, adding that "other options are being evaluated with Argentina."
