Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner has announced the launch of a program to control the movement of aircraft leaving and entering the country’s northern airspace, in an attempt to improve security.
The program will come under the “Escudo Norte” (North Shield) plan and will be operated by the Ministries of the Defense and Interior of Argentina, in conjunction with the Armed Forces.
The planned installation of radars in different sites across northern Argentina was announced by President Kirchner Wednesday when visiting Santiago del Estero, the capital of the northern Argentinian province of the same name.
In addition, a small squad of fighter jets will come into operation, ready to intercept suspicious flights.
The plan is an extension of the National Aerospace Surveillance and Control strategy launched in 2004 by then-President Nestor Kirchner, late husband of the current president.
The installation of new radar equipment is part of Argentina’s attempt to prevent the smuggling of drugs and other goods through its airspace.