The Ministry of Defence has begun a radical re-organisation of the Armed Forces of Argentina.
National Defence Programme
The current Army Order of Battle of five Corps with ten Divisions is being scrapped. All Divisions will be broken up into Brigades. Each Corps will cover a geographical area. Each Brigade will replace the Divisions although there will be fewer of them as they will have four Regiments each and will have increased firepower. Corps supporting elements will also be stronger but each Corps will loose its organic Armoured Regiment. The five current Regiments will be merged into two Armoured Brigades.
A new small Parachute unit will be formed for Special Tasks but the nature of such warfare seems likely only to support a very small unit and the Air Force has no transport carrying capability yet.
National Defence Programme (Army)
I Corps (HQ Cordoba)
I Brigada (Cordoba)
II Brigada (San Luis)
I Armoured Brigada (Mercedes)
Parachute Infantería Battalion (Mercedes)
II Corps (HQ Santiago del Estero)
III Brigada (Santiago del Estero)
IV Brigada (San Miguel de Tucuman)
Andes Mountain Brigada (La Rioja)
IV Independent Security Regiment (Formosa)
III Corps (HQ Santa Rosa)
V Brigada (Santa Rosa)
VII Brigada (Bahia Blanca)
II Armoured Brigade (Telen) (204 tanks, 24 SPG and 78 armoured cars)
IV Corps (HQ Comodoro Rivadavia)
VI Brigada (Comodoro Rivadavia)
I Independent Security Regiment (Rawson)
II Independent Security Regiment (Puerto Deseado)
III Independent Security Regiment (Puerto Santa Cruz)
National Defence Programme (Air Force)
Each new Aerea Brigada is a territorial headquarters unit designed to undertake all quartermaster and strategic planning within its area and undertake control of all air defence efforts within its boundary. They also control the Navy’s aircraft to co-operate with FAA units fully for maritime units. The Navy retains tactical control of its own units but there is a liaison unit with each Brigada HQ. Aerea Brigada IV is responsible for all military aircrew training.
Aerea Brigada I
HQ San Luis
Aerea Regimenta No1 Military Air Base Cordoba, Province of Cordoba, , Interception, currently 72 FMA I-02 Pulqui
Aerea Regimenta No 3 Military Air Base “El Plumerillo” Mendoza, Province of Mendoza, Maj. General Juan Biedma, Light Bombers, currently 72 FMA M.B.2 bombers
Aerea Regimenta No 7 Military Air Base Mercedes, Province of San Luis, Maj. General Alfredo Miguel Paladino, Light Bombers and Ground Attack, currently 36 T-17B and 36 FMA I-01-IIB Buchon
Aerea Regimenta No 8 Military Air Base San Luis, Province of San Luis, Maj. General G. Smith, Medium Bombers, currently 72 IMPA SI-21A (Sp-21 Vanquish II)
Aerea Regimenta No 9 Military Air Base Renanco, Province of Cordoba, Lt. General Horacio Vasquez, Light Bombers and Ground Attack, currently 36 T-17B and 36 FMA I-01-IIB Buchon
Aerea Brigada II
HQ Santiago del Estero, General de Aero Cillion
Aerea Regimenta No 4 Military Air Base Santiago del Estero, Province of Santiago del Estero, Maj. General R. Burrquitos, Medium Bombers, currently 72 IMPA SI-21B Vanquish III
Aerea Regimenta No 6 Military Air Base San Miguel de Tucuman, Province of Tucuman, Major General Benjamin Matienzo, Interception, currently 24 FMA I-01-IIB Buchon and 48 I-01-II Buchon
Aerea Regimenta No 12 (formerly Aerea Regimenta Paraguay), Military Air Base Ascuncion, Paraguay, Lt. General Victoriano Martinez de Algeria, currently one Grupo with 24 FMA I-01-IIB Buchon, one Grupo with 24 IMPA SI-21A (Sp-21 Vanquish II), one Grupo with 24 Tucan T-17 and one Grupo with 24 I.Ae.20 El Boyero
Aerea Grupo No.1, Military Air Base San Salvador, Province of Jujuy, Capitan de Aero Fernandez, Reconnaissance, currently 24 I.Ae.20 El Boyero
Aerea Grupo No.3, Military Air Base Resistencia, Province of Chaco, Capitan de Aero Marabella, Reconnaissance, currently 24 I.Ae.20 El Boyero
Aerea Brigada III
HQ Santa Rosa, General de Aero Humberto Sosa Molina
Aerea Regimenta No 2 Military Air Base Bahia Blanca, Province of Bahia Blanca, Maj. General Agustin Verona, Interception, currently 72 FMA II-02 Pulqui
Aerea Regimenta No 10 Military Air Base Santa Rosa, Province of La Pampa, Lt. General Luis Tabbone, Medium Bombers and Ground Attack, currently 24 SI-21B (Vanquish III) and 48 IMPA SI-21T (Sp-21M)
Aerea Regimenta No 5 Military Air Base Telen, Province of La Pamapa, Capitan de Aero Enrique Molina, Reconnaissance, currently 24 M.B.2, 24 FMA I-100D and 24 Westland Lysander
Aerea Regimenta No 11 Military Air Base Puerto Deseado, Province of Santa Cruz, Capitan de Aero Marcos Michello, Anti-Shipping and Medium Bombing, currently 24 IMPA SI-21T (Sp-21M), 24 SI-21B and 24 FMA I-01-IIB Buchon
Aerea Grupo No.2, Military Air Base Las Heras, Province of Santa Cruz, Capitan de Aero Pollo, Reconnaissance, currently 24 I.Ae.20 El Boyero
Aerea Regimenta Naval No 2 Naval Air Base Madryn, Province of Chubut, Capitan de Navio Albarrcin, currently 60 IMPA TB-1 (Spartan TBN-7) torpedo bombers (plus 16 Tucan T-18 NB-1 by Q3/40)
Aerea Regimenta Naval No 3 Naval Air Base Viedma, Capitan de Aero San Pablo, 48 SI-21B (Vanquish III) bombers and 12 FMA I-01-II Buchon fighters
Aerea Regimenta Naval No 4 Naval Air Base Bahia Blanca, Capitan de Navio H. Hernandez, 60 IMPA SI-21T (Sp-21M) bombers and 12 FMA I-01-II Buchon fighters
“Bahia Blanca” Regimenta Naval, Naval Air Base Bahia Blanca, Capitan de Navio Cristobal, 60 Ripon-Bloch RB.132 Renegade
Aerea Grupo Naval No 1 Naval Air Base Madryn, Province of Chubut, Capitan de Aero Jarez, 6 Constelacion Aeronave CA-02 Frigatebird
Aerea Grupo Naval No2 Naval Air Base Rio Gallegos and Naval Air Base Puerto Deseado, Province of Santa Cruz, Capitan de Navio Horacio Smith, 16 IMPA SI-21S and 3 CA-02 Frigatebird
Aerea Grupo Naval No3 Naval Air Base Bahia Blanca, Province of Bahia Blanca, Capitan de Aero Sabatina, 16 IMPA SI-21S
Aerea Brigada IV
HQ Cordoba, Lieutenant General Oton Mantovant
Transport Squadron No1 (under Escula Regimenta command) Military Air Base Mercedes, Province of San Luis, Captain de Aero A. A. Azcacardo, two Junkers W34 and seven Junkers Ju 52
School of Military Aviation, Escula Regimenta (School Regiment) Military Air Base Cordoba, Major General Luis Candelaria, currently 9 Avro 626 Prefect, 48 FMA I.Ae 6T, 72 FMA I.Ae 2/2T, 72 FMA I.Ae 3/3T, 3 FMA I.Ae 4T and 24 IMPA M.B.2B navigation trainers; one group at Military Air Base Mercedes (M.B.2B and I.Ae4T) and another at Military Air Base San Miguel de Tucuman (FMA I.Ae 3 advanced trainers)
School for Specialists (for NCOs) Military Air Base Cordoba, Province of Cordoba, Capitan de Aero P. Careras, has access to six FMA I.Ae 2 and FMA I.Ae 3
Technical School Military Air Base Cordoba, Province of Cordoba, Major General Elisendo Pissano
Tactical Bomber School Military Air Base San Miguel de Tucuman, Lieutenant General de Aero Juan Ignacio San Martin, currently 39 Tucan T-17, 24 IMPA SI-21A (Sp-21 Vanquish II) and 12 M.B.2
Tactical Fighter School Military Air Base “El Plumerillo” Mendoza, Maj. General P. M. Stallone, currently 18 FMA I-100 (all series), 24 FMA I-01-II and 12 FMA I.Ae 3
Escula de Aviacion Naval Group Naval Air Base Bahia Blanca, Capitan de Navio Smith, 9 FMA T-514 and 18 FMA I.Ae 2, 36 FAM I.Ae.3/3T, 4 Fokker T.IVa, 6 FMA I.Ae 1D Guarani and 8 Westland Wapiti V
Anti-Shipping Tactical School, Naval Air Base Madryn, Province of Chubut, Capitan de Navio Dominguez, currently 6 TBN-6A Seadart and 24 IMPA SI-21T (Sp-21M)
Brigada I strength 360 aircraft (144 fighters, 144 bombers and 72 ground-attack aircraft)
Brigada II strength 288 aircraft (96 fighters, 96 bombers, 24 ground attack and 72 light aircraft)
Brigada III strength 312 aircraft (96 fighters, 24 fighter-reconnaissance, 120 bombers, 48 reconnaissance and 24 light aircraft) (plus 84 Naval fighters, 60 Naval torpedo-bombers, 108 Naval bombers and 41 seaplanes)
Brigada IV strength 366 aircraft (9 transports, 57 basic trainers, 147 advanced trainers, 24 navigation trainers, 54 fighters 36 bombers and 39 ground-attack aircraft) (plus 27 Naval basic trainers, 36 Naval advanced trainers, 18 seaplanes, 6 torpedo-bombers and 24 bombers)
Total FAA aircraft: 1,326 aircraft (390 fighters, 396 bombers, 135 ground-attack aircraft, 72 reconnaissance, 96 light aircraft, 7 transports and 228 trainers)
COMMANDO DE AVIACION NAVAL ARGENTINA 1940
Under the command of Commando de Aviacion Naval Brigada
HQ Bahia Blanca
Aerea Regimenta Naval No 1 Naval Air Base Bahia Blanca,
Independencia Carrier Wing, Capitan de Navio Santana
Independencia Squadron 1, 12 Mitsubishi NF-1 (A6M)
Independencia Squadron 2, 12 Tucan T-18 NB-1
Independencia Squadron 3, 12 Spartan NT-1 (TBN-7)
Guardabosques Carrier Wing, Capitan de Navio Jabrez
Guardabosques Squadron 1, 12 Mitsubishi NF-1 (A6M)
Guardabosques Squadron 2, 12 Tucan T-18 NB-1
Guardabosques Squadron 3, 12 Spartan NT-1 (TBN-7)
Aerea Grupo Naval No 4 Naval Air Base Bahia Blanca, Capitan de Navio Gondez, 8 ENAER Sea Coati and 12 Supermarine Sea Otter
Naval Transport Squadron, Naval Air Base Bahia Blanca, Major de Aero Estaban, 4 FMA I.Ae 1 Guarani, 3 Constelacion Aeronave CA-02 Frigatebird and 3 Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra
Escula de Aviacion Naval Group B Naval Air Base Bahia Blanca, Capitan de Navio Jaccare, 8 Tucan NB-1 (16 by Q3/40), 8 Spartan NT-1, 8 Mitsubishi NF-1 (A6M) and 18 Coati-N trainers
Total aircraft: 558 (116 fighters, 32 dive-bombers, 98 torpedo bombers, 132 bombers, 86 seaplanes, 12 flying boats, 3 transports, 27 basic trainers and 52 advanced trainers)