Argentina Marks Army Day With First New Mercedes

2026-05-29 07:30:48

(MENAFN- The Rio Times) ARGENTINA · DEFENSE

Key Facts

- The ceremony: Argentina is marking the 216th anniversary of its Army today at the Military College of the Nation in El Palomar, an Argentine Army modernization milestone that will include the first public showing of new tactical trucks.

- The new vehicles: The first batch of eight Mercedes-Benz Unimog U4000 four-by-four trucks arrived at the Boulogne arsenal on May 26-27 and will be presented officially during the central ceremony.

- The order book: Argentina has already ordered 64 Unimog U4000s and has opened a tender for an additional 400 vehicles, with a total authorized investment of about 86.75 million US dollars across the wider program.

- The leaders: Defense Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Presti and Army Chief General Oscar Santiago Zarich will preside over the El Palomar ceremony, with senior Navy and Air Force commanders in attendance.

- Latin American impact: The trucks fit a wider Argentine reequipment plan that is the largest in two decades and a regional signal.

Argentina is staging its central Army Day ceremony today, with the Argentine Army modernization on full display. The first Mercedes-Benz Unimog U4000 tactical trucks will be presented in public at the Military College of the Nation in El Palomar, in the western suburbs of Buenos Aires. The trucks are the first new wheeled platform to enter the Army in years.

Argentine Army modernization on stage at El Palomar

The central ceremony marks the 216th anniversary of the Argentine Army. The First Junta of the new Argentine government decreed the creation of the Army on May 29, 1810, four days after the May Revolution that began the country's break from Spain. Each year the date is observed with a central parade and provincial commemorations.

The 2026 ceremony at the Military College of the Nation in El Palomar will feature a full troop formation, mounted and on foot, plus a vehicle pass. The institution sits west of the city of Buenos Aires and trains officers of the Argentine Army. Distinct ceremonies will take place at garrisons across the country.

Defense Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Presti and Army Chief General Oscar Santiago Zarich are expected to deliver the central speeches. Presti, a 1987 graduate of the Colegio Militar, was appointed Defense Minister on December 10, 2025 by President Javier Milei. He is the first active-duty military officer to lead the ministry since the return to democracy in 1983.

First lot of Unimog trucks delivered

Eight Mercedes-Benz Unimog U4000 tactical trucks arrived at the port of Zárate, north of Buenos Aires, this week. They were then conducted to the Boulogne arsenal of the Argentine Army, formally named Batallón de Arsenales 601“Esteban de Luca”. The first lot was received on May 26 and 27.

The Unimog U4000 is a Mercedes-Benz product of Daimler Trucks. The Argentine purchase followed a symbolic handover in February at the Daimler factory in Wörth am Rhein, Germany, attended by then-Defense Minister Presti during a visit linked to the Munich Security Conference. The Argentine Army selected the platform after a detailed technical evaluation against rival proposals.

The vehicles replace the older Unimog 416 trucks already in Argentine Army service. Some of those have been in operation for between 40 and 60 years. The Boulogne arsenal will distribute the U4000s to units across the country as more lots arrive in coming months.

The wider Argentine Army modernization plan

The Argentine government has already ordered 64 Unimog U4000s and opened a tender for an additional 400 vehicles. The wider program has an authorized investment of about 86.75 million US dollars including training, inspection material and spare parts. The pipeline will run for several years.

The truck program sits inside the wider Plan ARMA, the Spanish acronym for the Argentine Military Adaptation and Reequipment Plan. The plan was activated by Decree 314 of 2026 on May 4 by President Milei. It channels 10 percent of revenues from state-asset sales, rentals and privatizations to defense reequipment, modernization and strategic infrastructure.

For Army-owned assets the share rises to 70 percent. The Fondo Nacional de la Defensa, known as FONDEF, remains the structural multi-year financing tool. Plan ARMA layers an additional source of funding on top of FONDEF.

What to watch at the Argentine Army modernization ceremony

Two thematic threads are expected to dominate the central speeches. The first is the case for sustained reequipment after decades of underinvestment. The second is the role of the armed forces in domestic security, an active topic of debate since the Milei administration extended military participation in the northern border anti-narcotics effort.

The traditional parade will include foot, mounted, motorized and air components. Past editions have featured TAM 2C A2 main battle tanks, the older Unimog 416 trucks, and infantry units from across the country. This year's parade is expected to feature the new U4000 trucks alongside legacy platforms.

Argentine veterans of the 1982 Malvinas conflict, known internationally as the Falklands War, traditionally lead the parade. Honors are also expected for personnel killed in service during the past year. The format has been consistent for several decades.

Regional read on the Argentine Army modernization

The Argentine reequipment effort lands alongside parallel modernization in Brazil, Chile, Peru and Colombia. Brazil is testing its homegrown SABER M200 Vigilante air-defense radar against the F-39 Gripen this month and contracting a new anti-aircraft system worth up to 3.4 billion reais. Chile graduated its first female F-16 pilot in May.

Peru signed a framework agreement with Hyundai Rotem for 54 K2 main battle tanks and 141 K808 wheeled armored vehicles in December 2025. Colombia is buying Embraer C-390 Millennium transports after the loss of a C-130 Hercules in March. The regional procurement wave is broad, even if budget realities differ across countries.

Argentina has also moved on Israeli rifles and ammunition, on US-built medium-altitude radar through INVAP cooperation, and on the joint exercise Atlantic Dagger with the United States. The truck program is the most visible of the early-stage purchases. It carries symbolic weight as the first new wheeled vehicle in years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is May 29 the Day of the Argentine Army?

On May 29, 1810, the First Junta of the new Argentine government formally created the Army by recognizing the work of military bodies during the May Revolution. The date has been observed annually since.

What is the Unimog U4000?

The Unimog U4000 is a Mercedes-Benz four-by-four tactical truck made by Daimler Trucks. It is designed for off-road military and rescue use. Argentina selected it to replace the older Unimog 416 in service for 40 to 60 years.

How many vehicles will Argentina receive?

Argentina has ordered 64 Unimog U4000s and opened a tender for an additional 400. The total authorized investment across the wider program is about 86.75 million US dollars including training and spares.

What is Plan ARMA?

Plan ARMA is the Argentine Military Adaptation and Reequipment Plan, activated by Decree 314 of 2026 on May 4. It channels 10 percent of revenues from state-asset sales to defense reequipment and modernization.

Who is leading Argentine defense policy?

Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Presti was appointed Defense Minister on December 10, 2025 by President Javier Milei. He is a 1987 graduate of the Military College and was previously Army Chief. He is the first active-duty officer to head the ministry since 1983.

Connected Coverage

For more on Argentine policy direction, see our piece on Milei's growth message to investors. Also read our coverage of the Brazilian radar test against the Gripen and our analysis of the five-country Santiago security pact.

The Rio Times - Friday, May 29, 2026 - 03:00 BRT - By Sofia Gabriela Martinez