The government of Luis Lacalle Pou, through the Ministry of National Defense (MDN), seeks to spend on 12 American-made combat aircraft from the company Ravn Aero (formerly known as AirUSA). In October 2021, a Uruguayan delegation paid a visit to said company, to evaluate a batch of twelve Bae Hawk Mk67 units.
It is a military training aircraft which has been widely used all over the world. This powerful high performance machine has been specially designed for the training of military pilotsboth for basic training and advanced combat training.
The Hawk Mk67 is powered by a Rolls-Royce Adour engine, which allows it to reach a top speed of 1,034km/h and a flight altitude of up to 13,565 meters. Its structure and systems have been designed to withstand loads up to 9G, which makes it an ideal aircraft for aerobatic maneuvers and combat training. It cannot be used in heavy combat military missions, but can be used in patrols.
The company’s proposal AirUSA introduced to the plane Bae Hawk Mk67 as a viable alternative to Uruguayan Air Forceaccording to the portal specialized in military issues Info Defense. The evaluation of the model was positive both in technical terms and in price. But there are obstacles to the process.
Demolition laws and obstacles to this military spending
The main problem lies in the Purchasing policy of the Uruguayan government imposes limitations to acquire material of private originado Additionally, the restrictions imposed by the United States on the transfer of combat aircraft to Uruguay make it difficult to purchase aircraft made in the United States or with equipment of United States origin.
This situation results in a veto for the vast majority of Western combat aircraft, significantly limiting the FAU’s options. But not only that, but both States and Uruguay have their respective demolition laws.
The Uruguayan Demolition Law, also known as the “Aerial Demolition Law”is a legal norm that establishes the conditions in which the Uruguayan military forces can shoot down civil or military aircraft that fly over Uruguayan airspace without authorization. The law was approved in 2013 and has generated controversy in the country due to its application and the possible implications it has in terms of human rights and security.
According to this law, aircraft suspected of transporting drugs, weapons either explosives, as well as aircraft that do not respond to identification orders or that refuse to land at the nearest airport.
For the United States, in the Latin American region, only Brazil and Chile have military intelligence capabilities to identify potential infringing flights. Uruguay does not, and that is why the US sees a problem in the transfer of these aircraft.
