Argentina and the United States are solidifying their longstanding defense partnership, demonstrating an increased commitment to shared security interests and seamless interoperability. This deepening collaboration, underscored by joint exercises and high-level dialogues, highlights a robust bilateral relationship that continues to evolve.
One key example of this strengthened bond is the ongoing preparation for Exercise Atlantic Dagger 2026, a joint training event scheduled for February next year. Though still in its planning phase, this significant special forces exercise is anticipated to involve complex operations conducted simultaneously across highly demanding environments. Its primary objective is for both nations’ special forces to jointly train and assess their capabilities, enhancing interoperability and sharpening combat skills in diverse tactical scenarios.
The training will encompass critical skills such as aerial insertion and extraction techniques, including helo casting and fast rope methods for deploying units from helicopters. Participants will also practice medical evacuation by helicopter (medevac) and conduct maritime interdiction operations using specialized fast boats. These procedures are essential for special forces operating in extreme conditions and across varied terrains, from jungles and mountains to remote island areas.
The exercise is set to unfold in challenging locations like Tierra del Fuego, Santa Cruz, and Islas de los Estados, regions renowned for their extreme weather and rugged landscapes. This environment provides an ideal proving ground for troops, drawing parallels with U.S. special forces training in cold, formidable Alaskan territories, and will be a crucial opportunity for both to prepare for operational challenges in strategic waterways like the Strait of Magellan and Drake Passage, as well as for Antarctic projection.
“Atlantic Dagger is currently in the initial planning phase, and we hope to be able to announce the details soon, as coordination meetings are scheduled for early August to move forward,” the Argentine Joint Chiefs of Staff (EMCO) told Diálogo in a statement.
Deepening strategic cooperation
This elevated partnership will soon be showcased as Buenos Aires prepares to host the South American Defense Conference (SOUTHDEC) from August 18-22. Organized this year by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and the EMCO, SOUTHDEC is a pivotal annual forum that convenes defense leaders from across the region. Participants, including SOUTHCOM Commander U.S. Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, will gather to analyze pressing hemispheric security and defense challenges, fostering dialogue and discussing joint working methods to enhance regional cooperation.
“We are undoubtedly very honored to host such an important meeting, and we hope that the work agendas will be extremely productive,” EMCO told Diálogo.
Complementing these high-level engagements, efforts are also underway to strengthen professional development across all ranks. From July 14-18, the Libertador Building served as the venue for a noncommissioned officer (NCO) exchange between SOUTHCOM and the Argentine Armed Forces. Organized by EMCO, the event brought together NCOs from the Argentine Army, Navy, and Air Force. Instructors provided training based on the Experiential Teaching Method, a system utilized by the U.S. Army for the comprehensive development of its junior personnel.
“This approach represents a qualitative leap forward from traditional methods, focusing on active, collaborative learning adapted to contemporary contexts. It also responds to international standards of professional military education,” Argentina’s Ministry of Defense noted in a statement.
Initiatives of this type “strengthen ties of cooperation between allied nations and promote the development of NCOs with agile, adaptable, and strategic leadership, in consonance with current challenges,” the Argentine Ministry of Defense added.
Earlier this year, the strengthening relationship was evident, when in April the Argentine government hosted Adm. Holsey for further military discussions and to advance preparations for Exercise Atlantic Dagger. Adm. Holsey met with Argentine Minister of Defense Luis Petri, who emphasized that Adm. Holsey’s “transcendental visit” at “a key moment for the bilateral relationship, reaffirms the strategic importance that the United States attaches to Argentina,” Argentine daily El Cronista reported.
The foundation for this increased collaboration was set in March, when the Argentine Joint Special Operations Command and the U.S. Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) held their first coordination meetings in Buenos Aires.
“That’s how bilateral Special Operations Forces Talks (SOF Talks) began,” EMCO told Diálogo. These SOF Talks, described as a strategic forum, are “designed to strengthen bilateral cooperation, improve interoperability, and establish a long-term vision for training collaboration between the special operations forces of Argentina and the United States,” EMCO elaborated.
Further cementing these ties, the Argentine and U.S. special operations commands signed a memorandum of understanding in late March, formalizing coordination measures undertaken during the SOF Talks. Argentine Army Brigadier General Cristian Pablo Pafundi, head of the Joint Operations Command, and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Mark Schafer, SOCSOUTH commander, signed the agreement.
This memorandum aims to increase military readiness and bolster regional defense through joint training, expert exchanges, and the implementation of shared operational practices, Argentina’s Ministry of Defense indicated in a statement. Rear Adm. Schafer also visited Mar del Plata Naval Base, where he was received by Argentine Navy Rear Admiral Marcelo Paternostro, commander of the Atlantic Naval Area and head of the Naval Base, Gaceta Marinera, the Argentine Navy’s news site, reported.
This intensified cooperation between Argentina and the United States underscores a shared vision for a stable and secure hemisphere. Through joint exercises like Atlantic Dagger, high-level strategic dialogues and conferences like SOUTHDEC, and foundational exchanges across all ranks, both nations are actively building a more integrated and capable defense posture, reinforcing their commitment as enduring partners in regional security.
