The State Department recently approved a $300 million deal to send T-6C Texans to Argentina to help bolster the training for that country’s air force. The deal comes shortly after Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James visited South America, where allies there pressed her for easier and faster foreign military sales. Argentina requested 24 T-6s, along with spare engines, initial spare parts, and other support, including Air Force Materiel Command Services and travel, according to a State Department release. The department notified Congress of the sale on July 29. “The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major non-NATO ally,” the release states.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
