According to the Argentine press (TN), Buenos Aires would have signed a few weeks ago with France a non-binding letter of intent (LoI or Letter of intent), which will define the conditions of purchase of three Scorpènes, as well as the provision of services (spare parts and training), as well as that La Tribune had revealed it. An operation valued at 2.3 billion euros. According to TN, Buenos Aires would seek international credit to finance this transaction. Which will not be easy for Argentina which will have to demonstrate its ability to repay in the long term. In France, according to our information, Bercy is currently blocking loans and guarantees due to the fragile economic situation in this large Latin American country.
Defense at the heart of Franco-Argentine relations
Argentina wishes to acquire three submarines, in principle Scorpène Evolved (2000 tonnes) equipped with lithium-ion batteries. The Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, received his Argentine counterpart, Luis Petri, on October 2 at the Hôtel de Brienne. The Minister of the Armed Forces estimated that Argentina and France were doubling “efforts to strengthen our defense relationship: exchanges with my counterpart Luis Petri on the international situation and cooperation”. For his part, Luis Petri had posted on X: “We continue to strengthen our defense cooperation, working together to address international challenges”.
Before leaving for Buenos Aires, the French head of state wanted to address defense issues which are “truly in the heart” of “strengthened partnership” between Buenos Aires and Paris, explained the Élysée.
Green light for financing OPVs
According to our information, financing for the purchase of three lightly armed OPVs (Gowind class) by the Argentine Naval Prefecture, a force which depends on the Argentine Ministry of the Interior, has obtained a green light. Kership, the joint subsidiary between the Piriou shipyard (55%) and Naval Group (45%), which has already sold four OPVs to the Argentine Navy, would build one in France and two others in a local shipyard, which could be the one from Mar del Plata.
