Argentina tests Dardo 3 stand-off bomb

24 November, 2024 IA-63 Pampa III aircraft with a Dardo 3 stand-off bomb. Photo: Jorge Mendez The Argentine Ministry of Defense, together with the country's Air Force, has launched the testing of a new Dardo 3 stand-off bomb.

Aircraft mechanic Jorge Mendez published photos from the tests. The published photos show an IA-63 Pampa III B2 combat trainer aircraft from the Flight Test Center carrying a Dardo 3 stand-off bomb. Officially, the new type of weapon is called a cruise missile, but the sample itself is equipped with a jet engine and a folding wing, which, according to official information, allows the product to fly about 200 km.

IA-63 Pampa III aircraft with a Dardo 3 stand-off bomb.

Photo: Jorge Mendez

The new product is based on the 227 kg Mk.82 US aircraft bomb, which was installed in a folding wing body and, in the Dardo 3 version, received a jet engine to significantly increase the range. The Dardo 3 has a length of 2.6 meters and a maximum diameter of 400 mm, which allows it to be used from light fighter jets and training aircraft. Guidance is provided by an inertial system, GPS, and an infrared camera at the final stage of flight.

In addition, depending on the version, it is possible to install additional guidance systems or various warheads, non-contact detonators, etc. It should be noted that Dardo is a family of aerial bombs, represented by Dardo 1, Dardo2C, and Dardo 3 versions with a range of 40, 60, and 200 km, respectively. In addition, Dardo is a product of the family of munitions known as FAS:

  • FAS-260 - concrete-busting penetration
  • FAS-280 - a high-explosive fragmentation version
  • FAS-250 - with ENEAS 08V proximity fuze and ECEAS 08RV tail fuze
  • FAS-850 - Dardo gliding munitions
  • FAS-1020 - with a Doppler proximity fuze.
Dardo-3 glider munition with a jet engine.

Photo from open source

It should be noted that if the tests are successful, Argentina will receive a relatively inexpensive and long-range strike weapon, which could slightly change the balance of power in Latin America. In addition, the bombs can potentially be integrated into newly used Argentine F-16AM fighter jets that the country has purchased from the Kingdom of Denmark. Militarnyi previously reported that Denmark signed an agreement worth about £300 million to sell 24 F-16 fighter jets to Argentina.

In addition, the Argentine government has requested the United States to sell equipment for 24 F-16 Block 10/15 aircraft purchased from a third party.

The request includes:

  • 36 AIM-120 C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM);
  • 2 AIM-120 C-8 AMRAAM guidance sections;
  • 102 500-pound MK82 bombs;
  • 50 MXU-650 air foil groups for 500lb GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs;
  • 102 FMU-152A/B joint programmable fuzes with FZU-63A/B fuze systems;
  • 50 computer control groups MAU-169L/B.

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