Domestic industry to step up for IA-63 production

Components for the IA-63 Pampa aircraft will be developed domestically in Argentina, under an MoU between aerospace industry body Camara Argentina Aeronautica y Espacial (CArAE) and aircraft manufacturer Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA).

‘Due to the obsolescence of some components of the original design of the aircraft over time, FAdeA has decided to develop its replacements through national suppliers,’ the company noted on 21 August .  

FAdeA president Mirta Iriondo said ‘this initiative to nationalise IA-63 Pampa components began in 2014, when only 3% of the aircraft's parts were local; currently this is 13% and the proposed goal for 2023 is to bring them to 16%’. 

CArAE members include technology companies dedicated to the manufacture of mechanical, electrical and electronic products, parts and systems for aircraft.

Shephard Defence Insight notes that the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina) requires 40 IA-63 Pampa aircraft. The first six were delivered under two separate contracts, the last of which was valued at $30.3 million for three aircraft, reflecting an average unit cost of $10 million.

The remaining 34 aircraft are expected to be procured in several batches as budged allows. 18 of these new purchases will be IA-63 Pampa III trainers, while the other 16 platforms are planned to be light attack variant.

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