[ARG] Antarctic Campaign 1997/98

[Naio90]

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ANTARCTIC CAMPAIGN 1997/98 Classified Information ​

Operation Background
The 1997/98 Antarctic Summer campaign would be schedule to launch in october 1997 and mainly focus in surveying new areas of the Antarctic Peninsula, within the Argentine Antarctic Territory, for the potential construction of multiple scientific and logistical stations, to provide better access to researchers and logistical personnel tasked to operate in the area.

Deployed Forces

Arktika-class Icebreaker Quantity: 1 ARA Almirante Storni (x189 Navy Personnel/mission specialists - x1 Ka-27), Ushuaia Naval Base Neftegaz-Class Multipurpose Polar Tug Quantity: 6 ARA Punta Pacheco (x30 Navy personnel/mission specialists) ARA Cabo Teniente Barrios (x30 Navy personnel/mission specialists) ARA Punta Amoroso (x30 Navy personnel/mission specialists) ARA Punta Losardo (x30 Navy personnel/mission specialists) ARA Capitan Mendioroz (x30 Navy personnel/mission specialists) ARA Caleta Bianchi (x30 Navy personnel/mission specialists) 2x P-3B Orion from the Ushuaia Naval Base

Logistical Details
All units would be departing fully crewed and supplied, carrying surveying cargo and specialists teams. Areas of operation and navigation. FD-GC-FB-GB. Only argentine and international waters would be used. They would navigate on the most direct and safe routes towards antarctic waters, and then split to cover different areas on the eastern and western sides of the Peninsula.

 

[Naio90]

The ships would be fully crewed and fueled and with the respective cargo on board to conduct the assigned survey missions. As mentioned, the goal was to identify at least 5 geographically distributed spots to construct Antarctic Stations, primarely devoted to the advancement of science, but also to provide better logistical access to the continent through the cosntruction of airstrips and docks.

The ships would set sail to individually set coordinates and routes, which would take them along different areas of the white continent.

In the meantime, the Orions would remain on stand by in Ushuaia, ready to conduct aerial survey through photography and other meassurements on request of the specialists on the 7 vessels.

This would be secret.

 

[Naio90]

The ships and aircraft would already be inside the Argentine Antarctic Territory and working on their missions. The following locations would be singled out for detailed review, including the construction of a permanent base on the South Pole, which would be made easily reachable from Ushuaia with logistical and supply airfields in between.

68°7.818′S 67°6.1759′O
62°14.274′S 58°40.0105′O
63°23.8175′S 56°59.8832′O
64°14.5061′S 56°37.3935′O
60°44′S 44°44′O
77°52.4666′S 34°37.6166′O
89°50'12.5"S 39°00'34.2"E

The locations next to open seas and with no ice obstructions would be individually visited and inspected by the vessels, while the more inland locations, and specifically the South Pole, would be inspected and surveyed from the air with the Orions. The Argentine Navy aircrafts would be configured with additional fuel tanks to allow greater and safer flight times.

All this would be done secretly.

 

[Naio90]

The selected locations would have been thoroughly surveyed, both from the air as well as on the ground when possible. The locations would be deemed safe for the establishment of scientific and logistical stations, considering the ground and ice movements as well as the prevailing metereological conditions.

All geological, metereological and geographical data would be recorded and stored together with aerial and photographies for the planning to commitee to use at the moment of designing the respective stations.

All involved units would return to their bases on the same secure routes they used on their way in.

Mission complete.