European defence giants have offered to supply and fully finance three advanced hunter-killer submarines for Argentina’s navy while Prime Minister Andy Burnham pursues closer security ties with Brussels.
France and Germany’s leading defence firms are competing to supply Argentina with a fleet of modern submarines, offering full financing repaid in instalments to bolster the South American nation’s military capability.
Downing Street faces warnings that a lethal naval upgrade for President Javier Milei could severely undermine Britain’s capacity to defend the Falkland Islands from future aggression.
The disclosures come as Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledges to bring the UK closer to Europe, following a recent meeting in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to ratify the 2025 Kensington Treaty.
Submarine deals on the table for Buenos Aires
Argentina’s top military chief, Admiral Marcelo Dalle Nogare, revealed that both European nations stepped forward with offers to supply and finance three hunter-killer submarines.
Speaking to the Rotary Club of Buenos Aires on October 7, Admiral Dalle Nogare confirmed both nations offered complete financing with repayment arranged in instalments.
Admiral Marcelo Dalle Nogare outlined the quality of the competing offers:
Whichever of the two options we choose, they are among the best submarines in the world today.
The bidding involves two major European defence manufacturers:
- France’s Naval Group: The firm, in which the French state held a 62.25 per cent majority stake at the end of 2024, has pitched its Scorpène submarines.
- Germany’s TKMS: ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems has offered its Type 209NG design, with a decision in principle expected in 2026.
Delivery of the vessels is expected six years after a contract is signed, with Dalle Nogare noting the final decision will be a geopolitical one based on interests and financing.
TKMS confirmed to GB News that it submitted an offer based on the Argentine Navy’s requirements, though it has not yet received official communication from Buenos Aires.
Defence experts sound alarm over Falklands threat
The potential submarine sale has sparked anger in Westminster over the actions of key European partners.
It is shocking that France and Germany – two of our supposed closest allies – are considering financing three new ‘hunter-killer’ submarines for Argentina.
Andrew Rossindell, Reform UK MP
Reform UK MP Andrew Rossindell accused European partners of rewarding threats of aggression, changing the South Atlantic balance of power, and undermining Falklands security.
Andrew Rossindell demanded immediate diplomatic retaliation from Whitehall:
The Government should summon the ambassadors of France and Germany, and demand a full account of their actions.
In response to a written question, Armed Forces Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said the UK regularly engages with French and German allies on various issues.
Louise Sandher-Jones outlined the Ministry of Defence position:
The Ministry of Defence is committed to maintaining a defensive military presence in the South Atlantic to ensure the protection of the Falkland Islands.
Friends of the British Overseas Territories spokesman Robert Midgley described the rearming effort as a diplomatic failure of the British state:
The potential rearming of Argentina by Nato allies is a diplomatic failure of the British state. The UK Government has allowed the threat to the Falkland Islands to grow. For the past year, diplomatic staff across South America have sounded the alarm over Argentine lobbying efforts to gain allies to rally against the Falkland Islands.
Historical echoes haunt French military sales
Military commentators pointed to historical parallels involving European arms sales to Argentina, notably during the 1982 Falklands Conflict when German-built Type 209 submarines were operated by Buenos Aires.
Former naval officer Stuart Fawcett highlighted the enduring impact of previous French military sales:
Most notably, the Exocet missile strikes that sank HMS Sheffield and SS Atlantic Conveyor, contributing to 46 British deaths. That history looms large in public memory as we attempt to build a modernised bilateral relationship.
Former Army officer Henry Bolton warned that Britain’s eroded domestic defence capabilities leave it lacking leverage to caution allies against such deals.
Henry Bolton explained how German Type 209NG submarines could pose a direct operational hazard to Royal Navy capital ships:
If the angle was right and it positioned itself correctly, we wouldn’t know about it until it hit something of ours… The first we’d know of it is a torpedo heading for the Queen Elizabeth.
Admiral Dalle Nogare also offered a stark prediction regarding British sovereignty, as reported by El Cronista:
I’ve always said that I believe the Falklands will eventually be recovered on the day it is no longer economically feasible for the United Kingdom to maintain them.
European ties sought despite South Atlantic warnings
The submarine offers come while Prime Minister Andy Burnham continues to advocate for closer alignment with European Union institutions.
Mr Burnham told the House of Commons last week that it would be a “dereliction of duty” not to seek closer relations with Brussels ahead of an upcoming summit.
During his Berlin visit, Mr Burnham also confirmed he was open to Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) alongside Britain, Italy, and Japan.
Meanwhile, President Javier Milei told the UN General Assembly in New York that Argentina could be forced to “take matters into our own hands”, while stating he did not believe in military solutions for national causes.
Argentina has already overseen military expansion under Milei, receiving 12 F-16 Fighting Falcon jets from Denmark, with 12 additional aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2028.
Military readiness tested in the South Atlantic
Around 1,500 British military personnel are stationed on the Falkland Islands, supported by Typhoon fighter jets, ground-based air defences, and HMS Medway.
Senior defence sources confirmed the UK maintains the capability to reinforce the islands via Ascension Island if required, mirroring logistics used in 1982.
However, experts warned present Falklands defences focus primarily on air and surface threats, whereas three modern submarines would require 24/7 subsea monitoring.
A Government spokesman reiterated the UK’s commitment to South Atlantic security:
The Secretary of State and the wider Ministry of Defence regularly engage with our French and German allies on a range of issues. The Ministry of Defence is committed to maintaining a defensive military presence in the South Atlantic to ensure the protection of the Falkland Islands. Our defences in the South Atlantic are robust, consisting of air, land, and maritime forces with a strong permanent presence on the Falkland Islands.
The spokesman added that the suitability of the British military presence on the Falkland Islands remains under constant review.