The Argentine president landed this morning on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz , aboard a Grumman C-2 Greyhound . His presence marked the joint exercise Passex 2026 and reaffirmed a military alliance with the United States that seeks to redefine the balance of power in the South Atlantic.

Accompanied by the Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei , the Minister of Defense, Carlos Presti , and the Foreign Minister, Pablo Quirno , the Head of State was received with honors by the authorities of the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The visit took place while the fleet was conducting column maneuvers off the coast of Mar del Plata, a visual spectacle that capped days of highly complex exercises that included simulated air combat with F-18 fighter jets and "Visit, Search, and Seizure" operations.

The "Gringo-Gaucho" and real integration

Beyond the protocol, the exercise—historically known as Gringo-Gaucho —demonstrated genuine operational integration. The aircraft carrier served as the headquarters of a multinational staff where Argentine officers, such as Lieutenant Commanders Julio Escudero and Romina Banegas , participated directly in planning defense tactics.

The Argentine Navy deployed a considerable force: the destroyers ARA “La Argentina” and ARA “Sarandí” , the corvette “Rosales” , and ocean patrol vessels operated side-by-side with the destroyer USS Gridley . A highlight of the day was the operation of Argentine Sea King helicopters from the deck of the American giant, demonstrating an interoperability not seen on this scale for decades .

The Ushuaia-Antarctica axis: A look at the South Pole

For the interests of southern Patagonia, Milei's visit to the Nimitz Naval Base has a clear objective: Tierra del Fuego . The government has linked this strengthening of cooperation to the Integrated Naval Base project in Ushuaia .

The official intention is to position Ushuaia as the logistics hub for Antarctic projection, jointly financed with the United States. In this framework, control of the South Atlantic and the containment of "Chinese interference"—a central tenet of the Trump doctrine cited by international analysts—become the priorities of Argentina's new defense policy.

The end of an era

As the USS Nimitz prepares to leave Argentine waters and continue its journey to the Northern Hemisphere for its final retirement in 2027, the image of Milei on its deck stands as a testament to a final geopolitical shift initiated by Carlos Saúl Menem and being completed by Javier Milei . This event raises crucial questions: How will this alignment impact Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Malvina Islands, Antarctic development, and its autonomy to protect its natural resources from the interests of major powers?