Government, Defense

The Argentine military establishment is one of the most modern and best equipped in Latin America and has historically played a prominent part in national affairs. Drastic cuts in military spending in the 1990s, however, prompted Argentina’s armed forces to initiate a number of profit-making ventures in order to raise money, including offering tours of Patagonia on navy ships. Military conscription was abolished in 1995. In 2001 the army had a strength of 41,400 troops. The navy consisted of an aircraft carrier, six missile-equipped destroyers, and a number of lighter ships and submarines; it had a strength of 16,200. The air force, with 12,500 members, had about 200 combat aircraft, including jet fighters and bombers.