Argentine Army
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| Argentine Army | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Argentine Army |
| Native name | Ejército Argentino |
| Caption | Emblem of the Argentine Army |
| Dates | 1810–present |
| Country | Argentina |
| Allegiance | National Defense |
| Branch | Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic |
| Type | Ground forces |
| Role | National defense, territorial security, peacekeeping |
| Size | Approx. 70,000 (active) |
| Garrison | Buenos Aires |
| Motto | "En la unión está la fuerza" |
| Anniversaries | 29 May (Battle of Paraná) |
| March | Hymn of the Argentine Army |
Argentine Army is the land force component of the armed forces of Argentina, established in the early 19th century during the May Revolution and the Argentine War of Independence. It has participated in key conflicts including the Cisplatine War, the Paraguayan War, the Falklands War, and multinational operations such as United Nations peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, Haiti, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The force combines conventional maneuver formations, specialized units, and logistic elements under a structure influenced by historical reforms, regional security needs, and defense policy debates within Buenos Aires.
History
The origins trace to the provincial militias of the May Revolution (1810) and the formation of the Army of the North under leaders like Manuel Belgrano and José de San Martín. Campaigns of the Argentine War of Independence and the crossing of the Andes led by San Martín against Spanish Empire forces set doctrinal precedents. The mid-19th century saw internal conflicts between federals and unitarians, culminating in battles such as Caseros and institutional consolidation under the Constitution of Argentina. During the Cisplatine War and later the Paraguayan War, Argentine contingents operated alongside Brazil, Uruguay, and regional allies, shaping professionalization and expansion. The 20th century involved modernization drives influenced by European models, procurement relations with France, Germany, United States, and domestic industrial policy exemplified by the Fábrica Militar de Aviones and Fabricaciones Militares. The 1976–1983 National Reorganization Process era transformed internal roles and produced major reforms after the Return to democracy in Argentina; the 1982 Falklands War with United Kingdom prompted reevaluation of force posture. Post-1980s engagements include participation in United Nations missions and humanitarian assistance responses following events like the 1999 Santa Fe floods and the 2010 Chile earthquake.
Organization and structure
The force is organized into regional commands and major branches including Mechanized Infantry, Airborne, Armored Cavalry, Field Artillery, Engineers, Signals Corps, and logistic services. Operational control resides in a General Staff system subordinate to the Ministry of Defense (Argentina), with theater commands based in provinces such as Buenos Aires Province, Córdoba Province, Mendoza Province, and Tierra del Fuego Province. Key formations include corps-level headquarters, division-sized maneuver groups, brigade combat teams, and specialized schools like the Colegio Militar de la Nación, the Army War College, and the Engineers School. Reserve and National Guard elements draw on provincial recruitment through institutions such as the Gendarmerie and coordination with the Naval Prefecture for littoral security.
Equipment and capabilities
Inventory mixes legacy platforms and modern acquisitions: main battle tanks like the domestically produced Tanque Nahuel (historical) and updated SK-105 Kürassier light tanks, armored personnel carriers such as the Mowag Piranha variants, and artillery systems including the FH-77 and towed howitzers. Aviation assets for battlefield mobility include helicopters from Bell Helicopter and utility aircraft sourced from FMA programs. Air defense integrates systems procured from France and regional suppliers. Logistics capability rests on transport fleets, engineering vehicles, and domestic manufacturing from Fabricaciones Militares and state-linked industries. Modernization programs have explored purchases from China, Israel, Brazil, and Italy for armored vehicles, communications, and unmanned aerial systems; cyber and electronic warfare capabilities have been progressively developed within signals and intelligence branches.
Operations and deployments
The army has undertaken continental campaigns, counterinsurgency operations, and international peacekeeping. Historic expeditionary operations include the Paraguayan War and the 1982 deployment to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). Contemporary roles emphasize border security in Patagonia and the Southern Cone, disaster relief after events like the Cuyo earthquake, and civic support during national emergencies. Internationally, units have been deployed under United Nations mandates to Cyprus (UNFICYP), Haiti (MINUSTAH), Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNPROFOR), and observer roles in Sierra Leone and Guatemala. Training exchanges and joint exercises occur with neighbors in MERCOSUR and partners such as Brazil, United States, France, and Chile.
Training and doctrine
Professional education is centered at the Colegio Militar de la Nación, where doctrine integrates lessons from historical campaigns, counterinsurgency experiences from the 1970s, and multinational peacekeeping procedures codified by United Nations standards. Specialized schools cover infantry, armored warfare, artillery, engineering, intelligence, and airborne operations; programs collaborate with foreign academies in United States Military Academy, École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, and the Brazilian Army Command and General Staff College. Doctrine emphasizes combined arms, mountain warfare in the Andes, jungle operations in the Misiones Province region, and amphibious littoral cooperation with the Navy and Naval Prefecture.
Personnel and ranks
Composition includes conscripted personnel historically via mandatory service laws such as the earlier recruitment statutes, though modern forces rely primarily on professional volunteers and reservists. Rank structure follows traditional hierarchies from enlisted grades to commissioned officer tiers: subaltern and senior officer ranks parallel those used in Spain and other Latin American services, with senior command posts held by generals trained at the Army War College. Career progression includes professional military education, staff appointments, and attendances at international courses like those at the Inter-American Defense College.
Symbols and traditions
Heritage symbols include the national colors of Argentina, the regimental standards bearing battle streamers from engagements like Junín and Maipú, and ceremonial units such as the Mounted Regiment of the Libertador General San Martín Presidential Mounted Regiment. Traditions honor heroes like José de San Martín, Manuel Belgrano, and commemorations of the May Revolution. Music, uniforms, and insignia draw on 19th-century styles with modern variations; patron saints and unit marches form part of ceremonial life observed on anniversaries such as May 25 and Independence Day.