TSAMTO, February 27th. According to the Latin American resource Zona Militar, the command of the Argentine Armed Forces is again considering the purchase of M1126 "Stryker" armored vehicles in the United States as part of the program to equip the country's Armed Forces with new wheeled armored vehicles.
The proposal submitted by the US government in 2020 attracted the attention of the new leadership of the Argentine Ministry of Defense, who came to the department after the election of Javier Miley as president.
Sources familiar with the progress of the project reported that the Argentine military is considering a proposal for the supply of Stryker, but there is no consensus on their purchase, since the proposal must meet the goals of the VCBR new wheeled BBM purchase program aimed at adopting a universal family of armored vehicles that can perform various tasks as part of armored brigades and rapid forces deployment.
The need for versatility, in particular, was emphasized by the signing of a letter of intent for the supply of 156 VBTP Guarani armored vehicles. The BBMs selected under the leadership of former Defense Minister Jorge Tayana were intended for the transportation of personnel, fire support and management functions.
The current proposal of the US government is based on a proposal sent during the reign of President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), extended for 2020. In July 2020, the US State Department approved the potential supply to Argentina under the Foreign Military Sales program of 27 M1126 Stryker infantry fighting vehicles with an 8x8 wheelbase in the BMP version, 27 12.7mm M2 Flex machine guns, AN/VAS-5 driver's vision improvement systems, VIC-3 intercom systems, single-channel AN/VRC-91E radio stations, as well as other related equipment and services worth up to $100 million.
Although the US proposal meets the initial requirements of the Argentine Armed Forces for the purchase of a BBM with an 8x8 wheel formula, there are a number of unresolved problems, including the number and armament of vehicles purchased from the US Armed Forces, as well as the cost of sale. The country's financial problems have historically hindered plans to rearm the Argentine Armed Forces, as evidenced by unsuccessful negotiations on the supply of Guarani with Brazil.
As reported by CAMTO, the Argentine Armed Forces have been striving to upgrade the armored vehicle fleet for a long time, but the main obstacle is traditionally the lack of funds for purchase. The main options initially considered were the VN1 BBM with an 8x8 wheel formula proposed by the Chinese corporation NORINCO and the American M1126 "Stryker" with an 8x8 wheel formula. However, in the end, in 2022, the purchase of the Guarani BBM with a 6x6 wheel formula of Brazilian production was recognized as the best option.
In January 2023, during an official visit to the Argentine capital by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Argentine Defense Minister Jorge Tayana and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira signed a letter of intent providing for the purchase of 156 VBTP-MR Guarani armored fighting vehicles. The Argentine Armed Forces planned to receive 120 VCBR-TP armored personnel carriers with a 6x6 wheelbase, armed with REMAX 4 DUMV with a 12.7mm machine gun, 27 VCBR-CI infantry fighting vehicles armed with UT30BR2 DUMV with a 30 mm automatic cannon, 9 VCBR-PC command vehicles. The agreement marked the beginning of negotiations that were expected to lead to the signing of the contract. However, it was never concluded.