CHAPTER VI: THE BASIS FOR OUR DEFENSE POLICY
The contents below support our National Defense Policy.
1. Civil Control of the Military
The enactment of the National Defense Act in 1988 and the Domestic Security Act in 1992 unanimously approved by all political sectors of Congress, set the foundations and legal framework for the Armed Forces in democracy.
At present, the Armed Forces of Argentina are willingly and spontaneously subordinated to the political leadership. This fact transcends the mere formalities and derives from the extraordinary mindful and spiritual devotion of the Argentine military to democracy.
The change has meant a turning point leading to the true conduct of the Military Instrument by the political leaders.
Such conduct is not merely formal -according to the law. It is also concrete management of day-to-day activities and it is put in practice in every aspect of Defense and its relation with the political institutions of our country.
In this manner, the Armed Forces are integrated in the Government sphere involved in a wide range of areas, through their specialized contribution at the level and functions established by law.
At present, the political leadership -advised by the military- makes all decisions related to the Armed Forces development and conduct. The National Defense Act, Domestic Security Act and -more recently- the Reorganization of the Armed Forces Act are a clear proof of the above.
2. A comprehensive concept of Defense and Armed Forces' involvement
In certain spheres, there is a limited vision of the concept of Defense, which associates it only to one of its components: the Military Instrument.
There is no doubt that the Armed Forces are the substantive element of National Defense. Its institutions are essential for the System, not only as a result of having the exclusive use of weapons and skilled personnel capable of exercising the power of government within their field of competence, but also due to their history and tradition. These are closely related to the special characteristics of the Nation-State and thus form part of our country's vital interests.
In order clearly tell defense policy and strategy from military policy and strategy, the following definition can be given. National Defense involves the Nation and therefore it is the result of the integration and joint action of all its forces and capabilities for the settlement of any external conflict that may have the military force as a key element.
National Defense is implemented through a number of plans and actions aimed at preventing and overcoming such conflicts both in times of peace and war, managing all the essential aspects of the Nation during such crisis or war and throughout the subsequent consolidation of peace.
Defense is a function of the Argentine Government that cannot be delegated and is both a right and a responsibility for all Argentine people, according to the laws in force.
It also involves private production, research, infrastructure and resource sectors, and particularly the intellectual sphere -including teaching and academic activities- both to foster awareness in this subject and to carry out parallel intellectual activities. Conceptually, Defense involves the Argentine people as a whole, under the terms of the Defense Civil Service Act 20318.
In summary, Defense requires the active and permanent involvement of the whole institutional spectrum, including leaders and citizens in general.
All these concepts contribute to develop a wide consensus on this subject, thus making defense policies an integral part of the government policy.
This has led to stable decisions through time, with a greater level of certainty in the development of the Military Instrument and a higher degree of foreseeability and reliability of the country vis-à-vis the international community.
3. The scope of Defense (1)
National Defense comprises continental spaces, the Malvinas, Georgias del Sur and Sandwich del Sur Islands, as well as the remaining isles and maritime and air spaces of the Argentine Republic. It also includes other national interests, such as the Argentine Antarctic sector, considering the scope set by international regulations and treaties signed by our Nation.
National Defense also considers citizens and national assets in third countries, international waters and the international air space.
In this regard, the determination of theaters of operations is a legal power vested to the President.
4. Defense policy and foreign policy
When describing our national situation, we stated that Argentina is a vivid example of the 90's, in which democracy, economic policy and foreign policy are closely related.
The defense policy, at its highest level of abstraction, is in turn closely related to the foreign policy of the country in many ways. It continuously contributes with it and often implements it.
At the national policy level, the relationship between defense and foreign policies becomes evident. Some examples include the involvement of Argentine troops in the international Gulf War coalition of the 1991, under the UN mandate, as well as in the operation for the restoration of democracy in Haiti.
Another example is the high involvement of Argentine troops and units in international peacekeeping operations under international organizations. Such activities represent, in practice, the commitment of Argentina's foreign policy to international efforts towards peace and stability.
Regional integration benefited from the increase in confidence-building measures with neighboring countries, aided by a greater exchange and interrelation between their respective Defense and military areas.
Similarly, the participation of defense and diplomatic officials, including ministers, in various regional and continental forums and in other international events is also a common characteristic of this process. Since 1995, a formal inter-ministry mechanism has also been in place.
5. Defense policy and international security policy
It is precisely in the field of Security where both sectors are closely interwoven.
The concept of Security has a wide scope, according to United Nations definitions:
- It is a situation in which a Nation is considered protected from military aggressions, political pressures or significant economic restrictions, leaving it free to pursue its own development and growth.
- The countries and the international community as a whole, in general, have different bases they rely on for their own security: security policies are therefore measures used to promote it.
- The concept of security comprises and combines different elements, such as military capability, economic power, social development, progress in science and technology, and political cooperation through bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.
We can, therefore, conclude that, among all the elements related to a certain problem, the military contributes together with the political cooperation which translates to negotiations and agreements that benefit the country's security and represent the bases of reference for Defense as they implicitly involve security or receive its influence.
Argentina's International Security Policy
At present, the international security policy is expressed in various ways, summarized as follows:
- Cooperation ("consult")
- Non-Proliferation of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons ("agree")
- Arms Control ("inform and supervise")
These concepts are closely linked but have been broken down only to enhance Argentine commitment to peace and international security and to better identify their main expressions.
In this regard, Argentina has agreed with Brazil on the disclosure of their respective nuclear programs, by means of the 1991 Guadalajara Agreement. The Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC) was created to implement this agreement, and a Safeguard Agreement was signed by both countries, the ABACC and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These agreements contributed to build confidence, provide assurance to third parties and enhance regional and global stability.
Our country also joined the Tlatelolco Treaty in 1994 after proposing some amendments together with Chile and Brazil. Such amendments did not affect its essence, but were geared to improve its mechanisms and applications making them more efficient and less costly; and were approved and signed by the member countries in 1992.
Argentina has also joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which prohibits the development or construction of nuclear weapons.
Since 1991, our country has also supported the principles and guidelines contained in the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which it finally joined in 1993. Under this Agreement -which Brazil also joined- Argentina undertakes not to develop missiles with ranges higher than 300 km and payloads exceeding 500 kg.
Our country promoted the non-proliferation of chemical and bacteriological weapons in the region through the Declaration of Mendoza, signed in 1991 by Argentina, Brazil and Chile. Later on, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay adhered to this agreement.
Through this instrument, the countries undertook not to develop, stockpile or use this kind of weapons and agreed to adhere to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction.
Argentina sends technicians to attend inspection courses and also participates in chemical and biological inspection tasks under the UN mandate, for example in the Special Commission created by the Security Council to monitor Iraq's elimination of mass destruction weapons and ballistic long-range missiles.
Besides, our country is a member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, based in The Hague, and the Ministry of Defense has organized a regional Course for Inspectors' Accompanying Personnel. These courses are held in the National Defense College, CITEFA (Armed Forces Scientific and Technical Research Institute), the Military Explosives Factory in Azul and the Azopardo Naval Arsenal.
With respect to the question of biological weapon non-proliferation, Argentina is a party to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction. It participates in all review conferences, and supports the design of a verification regime; moreover, Argentina is a member of the Australian Group engaged in chemical and biological weapon transfer control activities.
Control on sensitive exports is an essential requirement for the success of any policy for mass-destruction weapon non-proliferation.
Based on the above, Decree No. 603/92 created the National War Material and Sensitive Export Control Commission, whose members are officials from the Defense, Foreign Affairs and Economy Ministries and technicians from competent organizations: the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN), National Air Space Commission (CONAE) and CITEFA (Armed Forces Scientific and Technical Research Institute).
Furthermore, our country complies with the UN Register of Conventional Weapons, thus promoting greater transparency in military matters. Our country supports the creation of a similar register within the OAS, an initiative included in the action plan of the II Summit of the Americas. Argentina believes that such register should be mandatory and that its scope should be enlarged.
Our country's international cooperation has been evidenced by its involvement in various consultation mechanisms with several countries, including the joint participation of the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs.
In summary, the Defense Policy and Security Policy are interrelated and contribute to achieve the legitimate goals of our Nation. On the other hand, these policies, by promoting peace, international security and stability in the region also contribute to advancing our own interests.
CHAPTER VII: MAIN FIELDS OF ACTION
The Defense policy, stated in general terms, implies the protection of Argentine vital interests and contribution, within its scope and according to the national and international legal framework, to the support and development of strategic interests.
In relation to the military instrument, this policy pursues the consolidation and enhancement of its spiritual and material capabilities, aiming at an effective deterrence strategy and at the maintenance of peace and international stability, especially in our hemisphere.
This policy has a threefold nature: national, regional and international.
Our country has the right to organize its Armed Forces to be capable of exercising our legitimate defense, as expressly stated in the UN Charter.
1. The Armed Forces
The main goal of our policy regarding the military is the modernization and reorganization of the Armed Forces, adapting them to the new world requirements, including the redefinition of military missions and the promotion of jointness.
This transformation does not imply any action towards an arms race. Rather, its objective is to provide viability to the Armed Forces, in the long term, regarding their personnel, equipment and operational capability, commensurate with the needs imposed by our national interests and the availability of local resources as determined by the general context.
In other words, our goal is to have Armed Forces with prestige in our society, with highly capable and well-trained personnel, and provided with the suitable equipment required to accomplish their missions and tasks.
This implies that such equipment should be readily available for use, with the appropriate maintenance and complemented by the necessary logistics and suitable levels of operational activity.
Moreover, the Armed Forces personnel should be allowed to fully exercise their profession -which influences their morale and motivation. Thus, they should be given the opportunity to receive training and continuous practice in ground, naval and air activities, a decent financial compensation commensurate with the demands imposed by military life, and should have the assurance of a proper retirement at the end of their active duty.
For the last fifteen years, the Defense Ministry and the Armed Forces have made, and continue to make, great efforts and adjustments to adapt themselves to the new realities of the country and the world as a whole.
The consolidation of all these changes, with a medium term perspective, started with the enactment of the Reorganization of the Armed Forces Act by the National Congress in 1998, with the unanimous vote of every political party.
2. Malvinas, Georgias del Sur and Sandwich del Sur Islands
Our national policy, based on the Constitution, emphasizes the strategy to recover our sovereignty over the islands and maritime space of the national territory in both the political and diplomatic fields, excluding the use of force.
Our Defense policy in this area is supported by confidence-building measures, as stated in the "Joint Declaration of the Delegations of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" adopted in Madrid on February 15th, 1990.
The Rounds of Military-to-Military Contacts with British counterparts, undertaken by Ministry of Defense officials together with Joint Staff and Armed Forces officers and diplomatic support, also contribute to the progressive restoration of military relations between both countries.
In coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a contribution to preserve renewable resources in the seas surrounding the Islands is made through periodic fishery patrols by Navy units and other institutions and organizations of the Argentine Government.
The Argentine government has offered the British Government to undertake demining activities in the area in order to remove mines planted by the Argentine Armed Forces during the conflict in 1982. This offer has been maintained and ratified, especially in international forums.
3. Sub-regional and continental areas
The basic goal of the Defense policy in the hemisphere is to continue contributing to confidence building, especially in its relations with the countries of the region.
Regarding the "Enlarged MERCOSUR" -our main priority- our goal is to consolidate the region as a Peace Zone, considering a possible development of a common security system based on a number of common challenges and opportunities that can be perceived as shared concerns.
To achieve that goal, we will continue to participate, support, cooperate and execute the relevant actions in relation to the following forums and activities:
- Meetings at the Ministry of Defense and Foreign Affairs levels, both with Chile and Brazil, following the steps and spirit of the meetings of "Tandil" (1996) and "Itapaiva" (1997) held with Brazil, and "Zapallar" (1996) and "Campo de Mayo" (1998) held with Chile.
- The Consultation and Coordination Mechanisms on International Defense and Security set up with Brazil as from the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both governments on April 27th, 1997, including the continuation of Consultation Meetings between the Joint Staffs and Armed Forces of both countries.
- The Argentine-Chilean Permanent Security Committee, set up by a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 1994 and the Consultation Meetings of high-ranking officers of both countries' Armed Forces.
- The continuation of combined exercises with Brazil and Uruguay -which have been held for many years- to improve the interoperability of their respective Armed Forces.
- The continuation of combined exercises with Chile, successfully initiated in 1998, as a contribution to confidence building.
- The Agreement for Cooperation Strengthening in the fields of International Defense and Security with Bolivia, signed in 1996.
- The initiation of negotiations for a cooperation agreement with Uruguay.
At a hemispheric level, our policy is based on the following guidelines:
- Defense Ministerial of the Americas, following the spirit of Williamsburg (1995), San Carlos de Bariloche (1996) and the consolidation achieved in Cartagena de Indias (1998).
- Action Plan of the II Summit of the Americas on security and defense matters.
- Practical application of confidence-building measures, according to the recommendations of the Declarations of Santiago (1995) and El Salvador (1998).
- Bilateral Working Group with the US, at the levels of Minister and Secretary of Defense respectively, and their specialized teams comprising officials and military staff.
- High Level Consultation Mechanisms on security, disarmament and non-proliferation established with Canada and the US.
- Involvement in UNITAS combined exercises and other similar activities.
- The support to the Army, Navy and Air Force Inter American Conferences, as the true forerunners of confidence-building in the hemisphere, as well as all types of historical military exchanges of the Argentine Joint Staff and Armed Forces of the hemisphere.
4. International sphere
The Republic of Argentina has developed, especially in recent years, a policy of active involvement in the new design of the international security strategy, through the involvement of its Armed Forces in peacekeeping operations. This has meant a contribution of our National Defense to its strategic interest being the preservation of peace and international stability, which are key values for our country.
Argentine policy regarding Peacekeeping Operations
Argentina's involvement in these operations is not new, as it dates back to the first UN operations established in the Middle East in 1958. This mission has uninterruptedly continued to involve national troops to the present time.
In all these decades, the Argentine presence in peacekeeping missions has increased and, in the last few years, it multiplied in accordance with the dramatic increase of Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) in the world since the end of the Cold War.
Between 1991 and 1995, our country sent an average of 1400 men and women each year. At present, they account for 800 approximately, including members of the Security Forces. This reduction follows the decreasing curve of the UN's overall participation and is mainly due to budgetary limitations of contributing countries.
It is important to note that Argentina is one of the countries that have made the greatest efforts towards international peace and stability in relation with our GDP. Up to the present time, more than 13,000 members of our three Armed Forces have participated in PKO's.
At present, the country ranks seventh among PKO participating countries in UN missions, and aside from troops deployed in the field, Argentina has also assigned high ranking officers to the Peacemaking Operations Department at the UN Headquarters in New York.
As a recognition of the effort and commitment of our country and the capability and skills shown by the Argentine military, the UN have entrusted many peacekeeping missions to the command of our officers. For that reason an Argentine general is presently the UNFICYP Commander in Cyprus, and another officer is the Second Commander at UNIKOM in Kuwait.
Argentina is also participating in other projects aimed at enhancing UN readiness to respond to any contingency, such as the "Stand By Forces", the Fast Deployment General Command and the Multinational High Readiness Brigade.
Figure 7-1 shows the current deployment of Argentine forces in PKO's all over the world.
IN PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS (1)
| Forces | |
| Armed Forces | 485 |
| National Gendarmerie | 277 |
| Total | 762 |
(1) As of December 1st, 1998
(*) Includes Security Forces Staff General Headquarters and Quarters PKO
The special nature of PKO's led to the creation of the Argentine PKO Joint Training Center (CAECOPAZ) in 1995.
This Center offers PKO theoretical and practical courses and welcomes not only members of our three Armed Forces but has also taught military personnel from Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, USA, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela. Its curricula follow the same guidelines as the UN Peacekeeping Operations Department.
The international importance of CAECOPAZ and of PKO's as a clear manifestation of the links between our foreign and defense policies is proven by the fact that the Director of International Organizations under the Foreign Affairs Ministry is a member of the CAECOPAZ Academic Council.
Argentine's involvement in this field has not only increased substantially in numbers, but its performance has also gone through the same quality changes as those of PKO's.
In fact, up to 1988 typical missions were mostly based on the "classical mandate" (such as truce observers and peacekeeping forces). Later, their sphere of action grew to include tasks such as humanitarian assistance, casualty assistance, refugees, mine sweeping, political elections supervision and human rights protection, among others.
For Argentina, the diverse roles played by PKO's in the course of time -from classical operations to temporary coalitions and Stand-By Forces- are key to face the changing nature of conflict scenarios.
Our policy frames these Peacekeeping Operations in the field of cooperation and under a strict international legality criterion. This means that the political decision to commit forces in PKO's is based on the assessment of certain conditions that need to be met before sending our Armed Forces to peace missions. Such conditions include the following: a real threat to peace and international security, a clear mission scope and objectives established in an international legal instrument, and an agreement from the parties involved to the presence of PKO troops.
We believe that a new concept of cooperation is emerging between the two extremes: deterrence and declared war; and PKO's are particularly important in its implementation.
This policy also takes into account PKO transfer effects from the technical-military sphere to the political-diplomatic field, since their execution presents some difficulties inherent to the model (command, communications and logistics problems, among others) which must be resolved through political-diplomatic channels.
Thus, PKO's lead to a continuous synergy in terms of cooperation, which, in turn, requires transparency, and in time generates confidence. Thus by contributing to stability, the latter is of great significance for security and peace.
We believe that the national policy of involvement in PKO is an important contribution to a new International Security structure inserted in a world with universally shared values and with consensus on certain basic principles.
Humanitarian demining activities
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on their Destruction signed in December 1997 marked not only the end of a process but also the beginning of a new one, characterized by the enforcement of provisions contained in the convention and the implementation of mine sweeping activities worldwide.
The contribution of our country to humanitarian mine sweeping tasks is significant. The involvement of Argentina in this field is strengthened through the participation of military experts in Mine-Sweeping Programs in different parts of the world, such as Nicaragua, Angola and Kuwait. In addition, training and advisory services are offered to foreign Armed Forces at the CAECOPAZ and the Ministry of Defense actively participates in relevant forums, including a recent agreement with the new Argentine "White Helmets" Organization.
One consequence: Major non-NATO ally of the US
On January 26th, 1998, the designation of Argentina as Major Non-NATO Ally of the US was confirmed by its publication in the US Federal Register.
This appointment does not imply the formal creation of an offensive-defensive alliance. The denomination "Major Non-NATO Ally" was the name chosen by American legislators to grant a number of benefits, usually reserved for NATO allies, to certain countries that maintain a close relation with the US.
So far, the list includes, besides Argentina, other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, South Korea and Japan. Through this designation, the US acknowledge their excellent relations with Argentina, the strengthening of our democracy and our defense policy in favor of international peace and security, and recognize our support to international free trade. Such acknowledgment is more than a mere symbol: it is a sign of trust in the relationship between both countries.
Its designation as Major Non-NATO Ally differentiates Argentina from other countries in the world by incorporating it into a category that includes only 7 other nations. Our country is also the first Latin American nation in such category.
Such designation is not linked to the relation that the US or Argentina maintains with other countries of the region. In other words, Argentina does not become a military ally of USA to face common threats posed by neighboring countries. On the other hand, our country has already stated that it would not object to other countries of the region receiving this designation as well.
Also, its status does not impose any formal obligations to Argentina: by not constituting an alliance, it does not create a joint policy mechanism and it does not imply an automatic alignment of our country with US positions.
Other bilateral initiatives
Our Defense policy also extends to other spheres in the international arena.
Pursuing this policy, Argentina signed an Agreement on Defense Cooperation with Italy, in force since 1992, which is at present under a process of negotiation to implement it at military levels.
Similarly, we will continue implementing, by means of different exchanges, the Agreement on Defense Organization with Spain, which was signed in 1992.
On the other hand, as from the Agreement on Information and Working Visits with Germany, signed in 1994, we continue fostering annual meetings of the Argentine-German Round of Military and Technical Contacts.
Also, the Inter-institutional Cooperation Agreement on Defense Issues with Ukraine, which dates from 1998, will be implemented.
Within this context of international initiatives, the Agreement on Defense Cooperation with France, signed in 1998, will be implemented through the Joint Commission created by such instrument, once it is ratified by both parties.
Aside from these formal relations, Argentina strengthened its relations with several countries at the defense ministry level. We will also support all military exchanges that have historically been maintained both by the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces and our Armed Forces throughout the world.
5. The environment
We have already mentioned that the deterioration of the environment is one of the new problems of the international agenda.
Though the environmental issue involves every sector of society - and Non-Government Organizations provide valuable contributions in this regard - the government is the only political entity in the world community that can effectively guarantee efficient actions, as expressed by the UN Peace Program in its Letter to the Planet.
Argentina designed its environmental policy at a national level and developed strategies aimed at achieving sustainable development. This implies that special attention is paid to the preservation of the environment.
In this regard, the reform of our National Constitution in 1994 included the right of its people to enjoy a healthy and balanced environment, suitable for human development, and also provides for the obligation to preserve it. Moreover, the obligation to remedy environmental damages was also included. These constitutional provisions are complemented by a set of laws and codes as well as by international treaties on environmental matters that our country has endorsed to.
The question of the environment concerns the jurisdiction of the Defense Ministry, as shown by the inclusion of a chapter on "Armed Forces support to environmental protection" in the agenda of the II Defense Ministerial of the Americas held in Bariloche.
In the specific area of Defense, this policy has been considered in the redesign of military missions.
However, this new mission does not mean that the military instrument should immediately be involved in matters of environmental damage to our territory resulting from actions performed in another country as this will be addressed by the political, institutional and diplomatic channels, as necessary.
Clear examples of the interface between the Military and the Environment include: bio-diversity preservation in relation to defense and military training activities, control of the marine environment due to potential pollution caused by war ships, protection of the atmosphere from noise emissions and military aircraft gas releases, and preservation of the soil as a result of ground operations.
Argentina observes the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, adopted in 1977 within the UN framework.
In sum, the environmental policy carried out by the Environmental Committee under the Ministry of Defense with the involvement of the Armed Forces and the pertinent organizations is implemented on two levels: inside military institutions and outside their sphere.
Environment-sensitive military activities.
This criterion reflects the first level of focus mentioned above and involves the following four steps which, in a way, summarize an international doctrine on environment and were adopted by our country for its Armed Forces:
- Strict compliance with regulations, whether derived from national or international instruments entered into by our country, especially considering transnational consequences brought about by certain environmental damages.
- Cautious Approach, which involves a prior consideration of the possible environmental impact caused by military activities.
- Pollution Prevention in the execution of military operations, which, in addition to a certain "behavior" required, concerns environmental considerations in the acquisition and operation of equipment and weapons.
- Restoration to the condition prior to the military activity performed.
These aspects must be taken into account both inside military garrisons and quarters as well as in the case of forces operating outside their bases.
In order to meet these goals successfully, long-term efforts are required. And, in this regard, education and training play an essential role. For that reason, the Armed Forces, as well as other sectors of our society, are incorporating into their training and education curricula the necessary academic and non-academic elements to transmit adequate values, awareness, attitudes, techniques and behavior towards the environment.
National and international cooperation
This is the focus of the second level of Defense environmental policy.
Equipment and logistics capabilities of the Armed Forces to comply with their main mission coupled with their permanent readiness make them capable of cooperating with the pertinent civilian authorities not only in case of natural disasters but also to protect and restore the environment.
On this basis, the Armed Forces have entered into several cooperation agreements with the Secretariat of Natural Resources and Development of the Nation, with provincial and municipal authorities, and with NGO's. These agreements include various environmental matters, such as water sanitation, National Parks protection, the promotion of environmental awareness, landfills movement, support to fire-fighting activities, forestry, water and coast contamination prevention, as well as educational activities, among others.
Also, there is a permanent interrelation between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior as regards support required from the Armed Forces in case of natural disasters.
This cooperation extends into the international arena on issues such as ozone layer depletion, greenhouse gases and environment-sensitive marine areas, among others.
CHAPTER VIII: MODERNIZATION AND REORGANIZATION
The reorganization of the Armed Forces in the framework of the National Defense policy requires suitable tools to become effective. In order to elaborate the appropriate projects required by Act No. 24948, several sectors of our National Defense system were involved.
To such effect, Defense Ministry Resolution No. 440/98 created the Military Reorganization System, as shown in Figure 8-1.
Work Teams have been set up to perform their activities pursuant to the terms of the above mentioned Act.
1. Reform goals
The main objectives of this transformation process include:
- Having highly motivated personnel of all ranks, recognized by society and with high professional skills -both in theory and in practice- and trained in single-service, joint and combined operations.
- Reduced number of operational units with an efficient logistic support and capable of developing extended operations involving different specialties and geographic environments.
- Skilled and trained commands and general staffs in order to conduct operations, carry out studies and research, planning and support to the senior levels of the military strategy, operational strategy and high-level tactical planning.
- Prioritizing on jointness and on the operational integration of our Armed Forces in order to avoid duplication of efforts.
- Implementing political, strategic, logistical and mobilization plans which, in the event of crisis situations, may enable to increase the operational capabilities in a short period of time.
- Having budget allocations commensurate with the requirements described above, thus eliminating all expenditures that do not contribute directly to the tasks assigned.
- Improving the status of military personnel by providing them with salaries commensurate with their responsibilities, while increasing the requirement of full-time dedication and training.
Characteristics required from the Military Instrument
In order to comply with the reorganization objectives, the Military Instrument will have to meet the following conditions:
- To be multi-purpose, versatile, technologically developed and capable of permanent evolution.
- To be provided with command, control, communications, intelligence and information technology systems as well as logistic support systems and to have a doctrine for their use, all of which should guarantee the performance specific actions and should provide the necessary interoperability capacities for joint and combined operations.
- To be provided with a flexible organization and size commensurate with the national interests to be protected, the missions to be accomplished the spaces to carry out operations, readiness times and the economic and technological capabilities required for maintaining the military instrument.
- To be provided with a suitable strategic projection capability and a high mobility.
2. Specific Areas
Organization
The organization will be designed on the basis of strategic areas, each managed by a Joint Command. Joint commands will develop operational strategic reviews and forecasts and will elaborate doctrines for the use of the military instrument for their strategic areas.
Intermediate commands will be eliminated as they lack a practical purpose, and administrative and bureaucratic structures will be reduced to the minimum.
Furthermore, priority will be given to the organization of combined weapon groups or task forces groups over units in the pure sense.
These criteria do not exclude the creation of other single-service, joint or combined Operational Strategic Commands or territorial commands, pursuant to the National Defense Act.
Deployment and Infrastructure
Wherever possible, units will be grouped in different geographical areas. The Armed Forces will share the use of facilities to enhance the utilization of installed capabilities and cut down on infrastructure and utility costs.
Deployment decisions will take into consideration the geographical size of the country at the continental and coastal levels, its maritime and fluvial spaces, the low density of population in distant areas as well as the characteristics of certain insular areas.
Moreover, the consolidation of units into fewer bases will be considered. Such bases will be complemented by others to be established in case of necessity, but priority will be given to fast deployment capabilities.
Units from the three services that will become part of a certain Operational Strategic Command will be located in contiguous areas to the command base.
Personnel structure
The personnel structure will be broken down into hierarchies, ensuring a proper distribution of command and professional personnel (engineers, physicians, etc.), but aiming at reducing the latter to the minimum.
As regards recruitment of professional personnel, individuals who have graduated from the National Education System will be given priority, so as to avoid incurring into costs derived from training those professionals in the Military Education System.
Our National Congress is empowered to approve the number of military personnel in the Armed Forces and the number of civilian personnel, with their respective organizational and budgeting structures.
The Armed Forces personnel are organized according to the following categories:
- Full-time active-duty personnel: As defined in Act 19101
- Active-duty personnel incorporated for a specified term: Those who serve within one of the Services for a specified period of time as part of the permanent staff, in order to complement or support it. Their military condition will automatically cease at the end of such period or for specific reasons. This category also includes volunteer soldiers, as defined in Act 24429.
- Reserve personnel: Pursuant to Act 19101.
The number of reserve personnel in each service will be determined by the Joint Military Planning, paying special attention to quality over quantity.
Personnel education
The main objective in education is to achieve excellence.
Education in the Armed Forces will follow the national education system's structure and will seek to take advantage of available capabilities, thus eliminating duplication and aiming at a better insertion of its members in the general educational and cultural environment.
Personnel promotion
The policy objective in this field consists in contributing to the level of excellence mentioned before, through the following actions, and those set forth in Act 19101:
- Promotions are based on selection and vacancies.
- In relation to the above mentioned item, extending the years of active-duty, in an attempt to make more intensive utilization of the experience acquired and endeavoring to obtain the best cost-effectiveness in military personnel training.
- Addition of new requirements for prior education:
- For the promotion to Senior Officer (Colonel and equivalent ranks): College a university level of education for such personnel who graduated from the Armed Forces academies after 1992.
- For the promotion to Senior Non-Commissioned Officer: High school degree or an equivalent level.
These requirements will become effective as of 2005.
Civilian personnel
The administrative structure of the Armed Forces will allow replacing military personnel by civilian personnel, so as to optimize military personnel training costs in the operational field, and concentrating on the exercise of the military profession itself.
Such substitutions will be performed following Ministry of Defense's approval.
This exchange should not exceed the total number of military and civilian personnel and the positions established by our National Congress for each Service, nor should it entail an increase in personnel spending.
Salaries
The criteria followed to determine military personnel salaries will be based on hierarchical equivalence to the other sectors of the Civil Service.
For this purpose, in addition to resources assigned to salaries (subject to funding allocations), the total savings made in each financial year as a result of personnel reduction will be assigned to progressive salary improvements.
Military retirement and pensions
The present system will be modified to follow both the capitalization scheme and the government pension system, making it compatible with the national system and allowing the transfer of beneficiaries.
Defense Equipment
Fund allocation priorities will be the following:
- Firstly, to recover out-of-service equipment (including their logistic cycle) whenever feasible and acceptable, provided that they are suitable to maintain operational capabilities.
- Secondly, to upgrade available equipment when deemed appropriate, feasible and acceptable, in order to meet the corresponding operational capabilities.
- As a last resort, to acquire new equipment. When procurement decisions are made, priorities shall be the following:
- Promoting a deterrent capability.
- Promoting standardization with existing equipment, at a joint level.
- Providing new technological developments. In these cases, priority will be given to incorporating weapon systems that may include the transfer of technology and simulator training equipment.
Decisions on equipment suitability and acceptability should be made in accordance with the joint military planning.
To such effect, a Technical Committee for the Follow-up of Military Acquisitions was created under the Ministry of Defense.
Based on the above priorities, the equipment policy should not be interpreted as excessive arms increase causing an imbalance with respect to the regional and world situation or with other requirements of the country.
In brief, the criterion followed to equip the Armed Forces responds, within reasonable limits, to such operational capabilities as are required for the joint attainment of National Defense objectives.
Logistics and Production of Defense articles
The Senior Logistics Board (described in Chapter 17) will endeavor to rationalize, standardize and classify all Armed Forces and logistic equipment.
An involvement of the private industry in the production of Defense articles will be encouraged. Dual technology research in areas of interest both for Defense and for the civilian sector will also be promoted, and partnerships with other countries will be sought to this end.
However, the Ministry of Defense is considering actions aimed at maintaining and acquiring essential and indispensable logistical capabilities difficult to attain in times of crisis and whose permanent local availability should therefore be ensured.
Budgeting and management control
This area is essential for the proper conduct of Defense issues, according to the criteria and mechanisms described in Part V, and for a more rational allocation of funds. In order to improve efficiency in this field, policies have been set with the following objectives:
- To foster the use of compatible and interoperable information systems by the three Armed Forces, the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense.
- The final implementation of the Planning, Programming and Budgeting System (S3P) consisting of an information system suitable to meet the requirements mentioned above.
3. Resource rationalization measures
In compliance with the Government Reform Act No. 23696, the Executive Branch issued decree No. 558/96, establishing the need for the Defense Ministry to elaborate projects aimed at modernizing personnel administration, accounting, budgeting, health care, logistics and education systems for the Armed Forces.
Since then, based on a previous professional review performed by the Armed Forces, the Minister of Defense approved, through Resolution No. 324/96, a number of rationalization measures aimed at utilizing savings made in expenditures intended to improve the Armed Forces investments and training.
Through these measures and other expenditure optimization actions, conceived and implemented by the Armed Forces on the basis of general guidelines provided for by the Ministry of Defense, the operational capability of the Armed Forces was improved as reflected in Table 8-2.
TABLE 8-2
| Service | Operational activity increase | |
|---|---|---|
| Army (1) | 30% | |
| Navy |
Sea Fleet (2) Submarine Force (2) Naval Aviation (3) Marine Corps (4) |
45% 57% 10% 42% |
| Air Force (3) | 23% | |
1. Troop exercise days in the field
2. Training days at sea
3. Flight hours
4. Campaign days
Actions were aimed at improving the following areas:
Logistics
Health care
- Organization of joint medical assistance centers in military units with personnel from more than one Service.
- Centralization of various high-complexity and chronic-pathology services in only one Service Military Hospital, depending on the available expertise and infrastructure.
- Consolidation of complementary medical assistance services.
- Consolidation of Army medical organizations at operating units.
- Closure of the Río Santiago Naval Hospital.
- Reduction in the number of first-aid centers and combat health-care storerooms for the Argentine Navy.
- Introduction of computerized health-care cards.
Personnel
- Standardization of personnel information systems, integrated by the Ministry of Defense.
Supply
- Consolidation of common supplies management and creation of a joint commission to coordinate common requirements. These tasks have been undertaken by the Senior Logistics Board.
Maintenance
- Joint use of each Service's repair shops and arsenal facilities, according to geographical areas involved.
Research and Development
- Promotion of an increased utilization of each Service's technological capabilities and coordination of their research and development activities.
Infrastructure
- Moving the Ministry of Defense and Joint of Staff headquarters to the "Libertador" Building.
- Sale of the building formerly used by the Ministry of Defense.
Operations
Joint education and training
- Consolidation of specialized training as follows:
- Divers: Common training phase at the Navy.
- Diving instructors: at the Navy.
- Commandos: Common phase at the Army.
- Parachuting: at the Army.
- Antarctica: Common "rock-ice" phase in the Army.
- Commandos, Parachuting, Forest and Mountain Instructors: at the Army.
- Military Attaché Training: Common phase at the Joint of Staff.
Specific actions for the Army
- Closure of the following units:
- Seven Army garrisons (Las Lajas, Catamarca, Guadalupe, Santo Tomé Corrientes, San Nicolás, La Paz, and Tucumán).
- Two intelligence sections.
- Army Hospitals in Tucumán and Corrientes.
- Sixty-eight finance services, by centralizing and merging their tasks.
- Consolidation into one of the units in Santo Tomé, in the Province of Santa Fe.
- Phased closure or transfer of the Military High School "Dámaso Centeno".
Specific actions for the Navy
- Transfer of the Naval Operations, Naval Aviation and Marine Corps Commands from Buenos Aires to Puerto Belgrano Naval Base.
- Closure of "Dr. Francisco de Gurruchaga" Naval School
Specific actions for the Air Force
- Organizational changes in the X Air Brigade, by transforming it into an Air Base
- Closure of the X Air Brigade Air Squadron, transferring air equipment to the VI Air Brigade and the remaining equipment to the "Río Cuarto" Material Area.
- Reorganization of the Chemical Air Force Detachment into an Operational Support Squadron.
(1) According to the National Defense Act, 5th Section
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