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Updated August 2007
Missile Chronology
1986-1988
This annotated chronology is based on the data sources that follow each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared over time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here.
Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation.
1986
First test-launch of Cóndor I.
—Jane's Strategic Offensive Weapons, "Argentina – Alacran," 23 January 2001, <http://online.janes.com>.
30 April 1986
By Resolution 388, the Ministry of Defense proposes creation of Interadora Aeroespacial SA (INTESA), which is to participate in the Cóndor project. [Note: The resolution apparently is not formally authorized until signed by President Alfonsín on 13 August 1987.]
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 170.
Early 1986
Construction of Falda del Carmen is complete, and 150 scientists from Germany, France, and Italy arrive to work at the facility.
—"The Cóndor Conspiracy," BBC Panorama, 10 April 1989.
Early 1986
The Argentine Air Force begins development of propulsion for the Cóndor II.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 34.
Early 1986
Dante Caputo, Minister of External Relations, and Raúl Tomás, a former Ministry of Defense official, meet with King Hassan II of Morocco. Hassan agrees with Caputo and Tomás that Morocco could be the gateway to the Middle East and Iraq for Argentina. Caputo and Tomás are accompanied from Madrid to Rabat by the brother-in-law of Adnan Kashogui, a Saudi businessman implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 65; "El Condor Esta Vivito y Coleando," Somos, 8 June 1992, pp. 18-20.
Mid-1986
Transtechnica ceases delivery to the Cóndor II project. The German firm Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) and Consen get involved in a project to develop a missile with 120-mile range for Egypt.
—"Profil Views Involvement In Iraq Arms Plant," Profil (Vienna), 24 April 1989, pp. 38-42; cited in Nuclear Developments, 5 May 1989, pp. 34-36.
July 1986
José Horacio Juanarena becomes Minister of Defense.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), pp. 34-35.
29 July 1986
Argentine President Raúl Alfonsín and Brazilian President José Sarney sign the Argentine-Brazilian Integration Act, which envisions reciprocal preferential treatment with respect to third markets. Protocols on aeronautical and nuclear cooperation are among the 12 signed in the first stage of the integration project.
—Maria Izabel Mallmann and Vera Seitenfus, "Cronologia do Mercosul 1985-1999," (Centro Brasileiro de Documentação e Estudos da Bacia do Prata, CEDEP/UFRGS, undated).
14 October 1986
Argentine officials conduct the first test-launch an Alacrán missile at the airbase Chamical in La Rioja province. The Alacrán missile is reported to be about 6.2m long with a body diameter of 0.56m. The missile has four clipped-tip, moving delta control fins at the base, for aerodynamic control within the atmosphere. The Alacrán has an estimated launch weight of 1,620kg and a single conventional HE warhead of 400kg. The missile has inertial guidance. A report indicates that two alternative submunition payloads have been developed for Alacrán: either 1,020 CAM-1 submunitions, or 176 MOR-1 anti-tank and anti-personnel grenades. Alacrán has a single-stage solid-propellant motor, a range of about 150km, and contains parts interchangeable with those of the Cóndor I. [Note: A knowledgeable technical source interviewed by Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) states that these specifications for Alacrán are unrealistic and would mean a completely different production line, for which Argentina did not have the capacity.]
—Vann Van Diepen, ["intelligence document"], secret, date not known but circa 1992; translated and published in Martin Granovsky, Misión cumplida: La presión norteamericana sobre la Argentina, de Braden a Todman (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 343; Jane's Strategic Weapons 36, "Offensive Weapons, Argentina – Alacran," 12 July 2001, <http://online.janes.com/>; CNS interview with missile engineer familiar with technical dimensions of Argentine missile program. Source wishes to remain anonymous.
16 October 1986
Theodore Gildred is appointed US ambassador to Argentina.
—US State Department, <http://www.state.gov/>.
29 October 1986
Britain bans foreign fishing vessels in a 150km exclusion zone around the Falklands/Malvinas Islands. Argentina intensifies air force and naval patrols, and organizes military maneuvers in Patagonia.
—David Rock, Argentina, 1516-1987: From Spanish Colonization to Alfonsín (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1987), p. 401.
15 April 1987
Colonel Aldo Rico leads the first military rebellion of the carapintada ("painted faces," referring to camouflage adopted by the disaffected junior Army officers) in the Campo de Mayo military base outside Buenos Aires. The uprising is in response the trials of several junior officers for their roles in the "dirty war." President Alfonsín originally intends the trials for only high-ranking officers who gave orders. But after the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (CSFA) dismisses many of the most serious charges facing members of the military junta, the Federal Appeals Court re-indicts many of the officers, including junior officers.
—Deborah L. Norden, Military Rebellion in Argentina: Between Coups and Consolidation (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1996), pp. 128-129; Uigi Manzetti, Institutions, Parties, and Coalitions in Argentine Politics (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1993), pp. 188-192.
April-June 1987
Argentine Secretary of Defense Juanarena and US Ambassador Theodore Gildred meet sometime during this period at the Jockey Club in San Isidro and discuss the Cóndor II missile project.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), pp. 44-45.
16 April 1987
Canada, France, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, and West Germany reach agreement on the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
—César Docampo, Desarrollo de vectores espaciales y tecnología misilística en Argentina: el Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: EURAL, 1993), p. 35; Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 30; Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 49.
Mid-1987
Iraq begins construction of its own Cóndor II production facilities.
—US Central Intelligence Agency, Iraqi Ballistic Missile Developments: An Intelligence Assessment (Washington, DC: Directorate of Intelligence, 30 June 1990), classified "Top Secret," declassified excerpts released 5 March 1998, <http://www.foia.ucia.gov>, p. 9.
May 1987
The Argentine Congress approves the Due Obedience Law dropping charges against all officers below the rank of colonel for participation in the "dirty war."
—Luigi Manzetti, Institutions, Parties, and Coalitions in Argentine Politics (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1993), p. 193.
June 1987
An internal Consen document identifies key firms collaborating in the Cóndor program. Based on Western intelligence and other sources, journalist Alan Friedman summarizes these as follows: "Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm of West Germany was to supply guidance systems and general missile know-how; SNIA-BPD, a subsidiary of Italy's Fiat, the rocket motors and solid fuels; MAN of West Germany the transporter erector launchers (TELs) that helped make Cóndor a mobile missile; and Sagem of France, the inertial navigation systems. Also listed as Consen/Cóndor contractors are Bofors, the Swedish arms maker, and Wegmann, a German producer of multiple-launch rocket systems." Some of these firms were subcontractors on the US Pershing 2 missile program, upon which elements of the Cóndor II are based.
—Alan Friedman, "Flight of the Condor," Financial Times, 21 November 1989, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>; John Burton, "Swedish Government Investigates Bofors Over Missile Claims," Financial Times, 8 November 1989, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>.
Mid-July 1987
Iraq contracts with Cóndor Projekt Ag (CPAG; later renamed Projekte Conchem Ag) for designs, drawings, and specifications for Cóndor II and possibly for other missile production facilities, under the supervision of Project 395 (a.k.a. Project DOT).
—US Central Intelligence Agency, Iraqi Ballistic Missile Developments: An Intelligence Assessment (Washington, DC: Directorate of Intelligence, 30 June 1990), classified "Top Secret," declassified excerpts released 5 March 1998, <http://www.foia.ucia.gov>, p. 24.
13 August 1987
President Alfonsín signs Secret Decree 1315, by which he permits the Cóndor project to continue and accepts relocation of missile industrial activity from abroad to Argentina. Decree 1315, citing authorization granted by Resolution 388, formally approves the new state-supported corporation, INTESA.
—Anabella Busso, Relaciones Argentina-Estados Unidos en los noventa: el caso Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Edición CERIR, 1999), p. 33; César Docampo, Desarrollo de vectores espaciales y tecnología misilística en Argentina: el Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: EURAL, 1993), p. 46; Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), pp. 26, 41; Martin Granovsky, Misión cumplida: La presión norteamericana sobre la Argentina, de Braden a Todman (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 194.
Post August 1987
Following INTESA's creation, there is discussion of whether an Argentine or German will manage Falda del Carmen. Gutekendorf, a German citizen, runs the plant until 1990.
—Anabella Busso, Relaciones Argentina-Estados Unidos en los noventa: el caso Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Edición CERIR, 1999), p. 34.
Fall 1987
American and British officials say that the defense division of SNIA-BPD, a subsidiary of Italy's Fiat, is supplying technology for the Cóndor II project, in violation of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
—John Wyles, "Fiat Link Suspected in Condor Missile Probe," Financial Times, 31 July 1989, p. 2.
Late 1987
The United States increases political pressure on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to stem missile development. With this in mind, the Argentine Air Force renegotiates its deal with Egypt.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 41.
Late 1987
According to British journalist Alan Friedman, the US CIA discovers that US companies are collaborating with SNIA, a subsidiary of Italy's Fiat.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 30.
Late 1987
The National Space Research Commission (CNIE) formulates an initial Argentine space plan, ARES Plan 2002.
—César Docampo, Desarrollo de vectores espaciales y tecnología misilística en Argentina: el Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: EURAL, 1993), p. 10.
Late 1987
In response to rising international pressure, Commander in Chief of the Argentine Air Force Ernesto Crespo invites President Alfonsín to Falda del Carmen. Impressed by what he sees there, the president reportedly remarks, "it looks like we are in a developed country."
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 20.
1 December 1987
A US State Department internal paper describes the Italian firm SNIA-BPD as a "leading high-tech firm in rocket propulsion systems, solid and liquid, both for armaments and space research." The report continues saying "SNIA-BPD is responsible for all of the Ariane rocket's solid propulsion and, in a joint venture with the French company SEP, is the prime contractor for the development of Ariane V's 170-ton solid-rocket boosters. It also produces rockets and attitude systems for several ESA and Italian scientific satellites....Since 1980, the company has probably acquired and is seeking considerable rocket propulsion technology from the United States through the IRIS program....SNIA-BPD, along with other divisions of the FIAT Group, is actively seeking SDI contracts." [Note: SNIA-BPD employees are later investigated for selling missile components to Argentina for the Cóndor project.]
—US State Department, "SNIA-BPD: Italy's Aggressive Competitor in Rocket Boosters; for Missiles and Space Launches," Secret internal paper declassified and released, 1 December 1987, available through the Digital National Security Archive, <http://nsarchive.chadwyck.com/>.
1988
The United States increases pressure on the Radical Civic Union (UCR) government to dismantle the Cóndor project.
—Anabella Busso, Relaciones Argentina-Estados Unidos en los noventa: el caso Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Edición CERIR, 1999), p. 29.
1988
Egypt threatens to cut funding after Consen falls behind in project development.
—Anabella Busso, Relaciones Argentina-Estados Unidos en los noventa: el caso Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Edición CERIR, 1999), p. 40.
1988
Egypt and Consen cut ties with the Cóndor effort. Egypt no longer has the funding and Consen discontinues providing technical information.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 51.
1988
Investigations accelerate after US officials reveal an Egyptian espionage network, and Alan Friedman publishes his book Agnelli and the Network of Italian Power, which describes the connection between FIAT and the Argentine missile program.
—Anabella Busso, Relaciones Argentina-Estados Unidos en los noventa: el caso Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Edición CERIR, 1999), p. 23; Wyn Q. Bowen, The Politics of Ballistic Missile Proliferation (New York: St. Martin's Press, Inc., 2000), pp. 44-45.
1988
The Italian government accuses technicians associated with SNIA-BPD of illegally selling arms components.
—Anabella Busso, Relaciones Argentina-Estados Unidos en los noventa: el caso Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Edición CERIR, 1999), p. 24.
1988
Presidential candidate Carlos Menem travels to Syria on a personal visit, but meets with senior Syrian political and intelligence officials, including Rifat El Assad, brother of the Syrian president, and Syrian Vice-President Abdul Halim Haddam. In these meetings, Menem allegedly promises to supply the Cóndor II missile and nuclear reactor technologies to Syria in exchange for contributions to his electoral campaign. These funds allegedly exceed $40 million and come from the governments of Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), as well as businesses in these countries. The monies are provided via "Mathaba," a lobby backing electoral campaigns for candidates of Arab origin in Latin American countries; the group is pivotal in enabling a candidate from a poor province with limited national exposure to win the Peronist nomination and subsequently the presidency.
—Arnoldo Lamisovsky, Guillermo Francos, and Franco Caviglia, Projeyto de Resolución, Expediente 1656-D-00 (Buenos Aires: Cámara de Diputados de la Nación – República Argentina, 2000), <http://www.ardiputados.gov.ar>; Norberto Bermúdez and Carlos Torrengo, "Lo que no se investigó sobre los atentados (Parte I)"; and "Lo que no se investigó sobre los atentados (Parte II)"; Julio Rajneri, "Río Negro va más lejos con la pista siria"; "Los acuerdos y compromisos secretos de Menem y los árabes"; and "El dominicano Nemen Nader habla desde Madrid: 'Menem recibió 40 millones de los países árabes en 1988'"; Río Negro, 11-13 January 2000, <http://www.rionegro.com.ar/amia/index.html>.
Beginning of 1988
Italy begins talks with Commander in Chief of the Argentine Air Force Ernesto Crespo and Ekkehard Schrotz, head of Consen. Italian officials discover four stabilizer fins for the Cóndor, which the Italian government orders destroyed under US pressure.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 97.
Beginning of 1988
Ekkehard Schrotz, head of Consen, begins to channel missile technology through Consen's second office in the loosely regulated state of Monaco.
—"The Cóndor Conspiracy," BBC Panorama, 10 April 1989.
Early 1988
Technicians successfully conduct a secret test of the first prototypes of the Cóndor II motor. Miguel Guerrero, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is among the technicians.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 37.
16 January 1988
Air Force planes fly over positions taken by rebelling Army officers, during the second carapintada uprising ("painted faces," referring to camouflage adopted by the disaffected junior Army officers) led by Aldo Rico in Monte Caseros. [Note: The Air Force's overt support of the Radical Civic Union (UCR) government may indicate a quid pro quo for the Alfonsín government's support of the Cóndor program.]
—Martin Granovsky, Misión cumplida: La presión norteamericana sobre la Argentina, de Braden a Todman (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 205; Luigi Manzetti, Institutions, Parties, and Coalitions in Argentine Politics (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1993), p. 193.
25 January 1988
The US State Department requests clearance to brief Italian government officials on the Cóndor missile program using information drawn from the National Security Agency. [Note: The recipients of the memo are blacked out in the released version, as are all of the talking points outlined in the memo.]
—US State Department, "Talking Points on the Argentine Ballistic Missile Program; for Use With Officials of the Government of Italy," Secret memo declassified and partially released, 25 January 1988, available through the Digital National Security Archive, <http://nsarchive.chadwyck.com/>.
February 1988
The Atlanta, Georgia branch of the Italian Banco Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL) begins financing Iraqi orders of $600 million-to-$1 billion for machine tools, computers, and composite materials manufacturing equipment to be used in the Cóndor II (Badr-2000) and other Iraqi military development programs. These funds are provided as direct loans to the Iraqi central bank, some of which were provided to Techcorp, the Iraqi firm that contracted with Consen to produce the Cóndor II.
—Alan Friedman and Victor Mallet, "Iraq 'Used Unauthorized BNL Credits' for Military Purchases," Financial Times, 20 September 1989, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>; Alan Friedman, "Flight of the Condor," Financial Times, 21 November 1989, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>.
4 February 1988
US Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci meets with Italian Prime Minister Goria in Rome. Goria urges that the two countries put aside past differences over SNIA-BPD's missile exports to the Cóndor program.
—US Department of Defense, "Secretary Carlucci's Meeting With Italian Prime Minister Goria in Rome," 4 February 1988," Secret cable declassified and partially released, available through the Digital National Security Archive, <http://nsarchive.chadwyck.com/>.
April 1988
Italy addresses US concerns regarding SNIA's technology sales to Argentina. The United States resumes exporting technology to SNIA-BPD. [Note: A deciding factor in the resumption of technology exports is reportedly the discovery of China's sale of CSS-2 missiles to Saudi Arabia.]
—ANSA (Rome), 24 September 1988, in FBIS-WEU-88-156, 26 September 1988, p. 13; Alan Friedman, Agnelli: Fiat and the Network of Italian Power (New York: New American Library, 1989), p. 265.
May 1988
Brigadier General Crespo and Ekkehard Schrotz, head of Consen, reportedly have a conversation in the Cóndor Building about working with Saddam Hussein, and give specifics on training and funding figures for such involvement.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 146.
22 May 1988
The Times of London, quoting diplomatic sources in Peking, reports that China has made a secret deal with Argentina to supply technology for the production of anti-ship and medium-range missiles capable of hitting the Falkland/Malvinas Islands.
—Louise Branson, "Secret Argentina Missile Deal; China," The Times, 22 May 1988, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>.
24 May 1988
Dante Caputo, Minister of External Relations, accuses the British of fabricating stories that Argentina had signed a contract with China for missile construction.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), pp. 32-33.
25 May 1988
Consen director Ekkehard Schrotz meets with a "high ranking" Argentine Air Force official.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 28.
27 May 1988
A car bomb destroys the Peugeot of Consen director Ekkehard Schrotz, and his secretary receives a message that he has been killed. The bombing is apparently an effort to disrupt the Cóndor project, allegedly by Israeli Mosad agents, although an obscure pro-Iranian group called the Guardians of Islam claim credit. [Note: It is unclear whether the explosion is an assassination attempt or meant solely as a warning.]
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), pp. 28, 40; Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 50; "Further Transfers Of Military Technology Reported," Profil (Vienna), 8 May 1989, pp. 29-31; cited in Nuclear Developments, 23 May 1989, pp. 39-42; "The Cóndor Conspiracy," BBC Panorama, 10 April 1989.
June 1988
An unknown intruder breaks into Consen's office in Zug, and hastily searches through files containing lists of the group's missile production affiliate.
—"Further Transfers Of Military Technology Reported," Profil (Vienna), 8 May 1989, pp. 29-31; cited in Nuclear Developments, 23 May 1989, pp. 39-42.
July 1988
La Nación quotes the Israeli newspaper Davar as reporting that Argentina intends to produce 1,000km-range Cóndor missiles in Egypt. The project will receive funds from Iraq and technology from Europe, particularly West Germany.
—Anabella Busso, Relaciones Argentina-Estados Unidos en los noventa: el caso Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Edición CERIR, 1999), p. 41; "La Argentina produciría un misil de alcance medio con Egito," La Nación (Buenos Aires), 4 July 1988, p. 5.
July 1988
U.S. News & World Report reports that Argentina is a primary supplier of ballistic missiles to Iraq and Egypt. A US intelligence source states that the ultimate objective of the Cóndor project is to provide Egypt and Iraq each with 200 Cóndor II missiles and to enable the two countries to produce such missiles indigenously. The two-stage Cóndor II is to incorporate an advanced, French-built, inertial guidance system.
—Mel Elfin, "Behind the Condor Carbon-Carbon Smuggling Scam," U.S. News and World Report, 25 July 1988, p. 38.
20 July 1988
An Argentine Ministry of Defense spokesperson, responding to a recent U.S. News and World Report article, denies that Argentina is supplying Iraq with any "aerospace technology...for fabrication of missiles." The spokesperson admits that Argentina and Egypt have had an agreement for two years to cooperate on satellite launch vehicles for meteorological and communication satellites, but denies any agreements with Iraq.
—"Defensa desmintió la venta de misiles a Irak y Egipto," La Nación (Buenos Aires), 20 July 1988, p. 19.
August 1988
In Cabo Raso, 130km south of Rawson, Argentina, Brigadier General Crespo prepares to conduct a public test-launch of the Cóndor II and the Alacrán. In conjunction with the Minister of Defense, he invites President Alfonsín and the US Ambassador Theodore Gildred to attend the test-launch. However, because of pressure from the United States and the Argentine Chancellery, the launch is cancelled.
—Anabella Busso, Relaciones Argentina-Estados Unidos en los noventa: el caso Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Edición CERIR, 1999), p. 39; Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 38.
24 August 1988
Adolf Karl Hammer registers in Zug as director of Switzerland's Institute for Advanced Technology (IFAT). At this time Ekkehard Schrotz, a former employee of the German firm Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) and co-director of Delta Systems, also serve on IFAT's board of directors.
—"Profil Views Involvement In Iraq Arms Plant," Profil (Vienna), 24 April 1989, pp. 38-42; cited in Nuclear Developments, 5 May 1989, pp. 34-36.
September 1988
During debt rescheduling negotiations due to conclude this month, the Reagan administration is apparently disinclined to press Argentina regarding the Cóndor.
—Mark Tran, "Argentina Missile Raises US and British Fears," Guardian, 21 September 1988, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>.
8-9 September 1988
At the first Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Plenary Group meeting in Rome, representatives of the seven member-states identify the Cóndor II as a particular "project of concern," and prioritize efforts to block it through export controls and diplomatic initiatives.
—Dan Oberdorfer, "U.S. Seeks to Curb Argentine Missile Project," Washington Post, 19 September 1988, p. 6.
20 September 1988
A "military source" says that Air Force technicians are working on the Cóndor II project to produce a medium-range rocket for launching satellites into orbit, and denies that Argentina plans to sell the weapons abroad. Although the Cóndor missile under development at Falda del Carmen facility is theoretically capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, the source affirmed that this is not the intention of the Argentine government.
—"Military Source Says Condor II Project Intended for Peaceful Purposes," Télam, 20 September 1988; in BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 22 September 1988, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>.
23 September 1988
The US Embassy in Italy sends a cable to the US Secretary of State indicating that the embassy will respond with "no comment" to inquiries about Fiat transfers of US technology to the Cóndor missile program alleged in Alan Friedman's book Agnelli and the Network of Italian Power.
—United States Embassy, Italy, "Friedman Book on Fiat: Tech Transfer to Condor Project," Confidential Cable declassified and released, available through the Digital National Security Archive, <http://nsarchive.chadwyck.com/>.
Last trimester of 1988
The Cóndor II missile project is paralyzed because of difficulty in programming the interface between the guidance and control systems. Brigadier General Petrich, who directs research and development, uses his knowledge of Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) to try to resolve the interface problems.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), pp. 135, 177.
October 1988
Dante Caputo, Minister of External Relations, meets in New York with US Secretary of State George Shultz, who expresses concern regarding the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the Treaty of Tlatelolco, the Latin America nuclear-weapon-free-zone treaty.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 32.
October 1988
Argentine officials believe that the Chilean government is gathering intelligence on the Cóndor II. Mendoza police arrest a Chilean national, Wolf Guerrero, for allegedly spying for Chile's Central Nacional de Inteligencia.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), pp. 108-109.
October 1988
US officials block the export of vertical mixers for solid-fuel production to Iraq, which were to be fabricated by APV Chemical Machinery, a US subsidiary of the British food-processing firm APV.
—"Iraqi Bid to Buy Condor Kit Stopped," MidEast Markets, 16 October 1989, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>.
November 1988
Frank Carlucci, US Secretary of Defense, expresses concern regarding the Cóndor to Argentine Secretary of Defense José Horacio Juanarena.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 31.
November 1988
Ekkehard Schrotz leaves Switzerland's Institute for Advanced Technology's (IFAT) board of directors.
—"Profil Views Involvement In Iraq Arms Plant," Profil (Vienna), 24 April 1989, pp. 38-42; cited in Nuclear Developments, 5 May 1989, pp. 34-36.
December 1988
Colonel Mohamed Alí Seineldín leads the third carapintada uprising ("painted faces," referring to camouflage adopted by the disaffected junior Army officers), of Villa Martelli. Seineldín has taken over for Rico, who is in jail. He demands a further reorganization of the army high command, a bigger defense budget, a public vindication of the "dirty war," and amnesty for all those who mutinied. The uprising ends after eight days. Although the Argentine government publicly denies any concessions publicly, military salaries are increased and the military budget is expanded.
—Deborah L. Norden, Military Rebellion in Argentina: Between Coups and Consolidation (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1996), pp. 131-132; Uigi Manzetti, Institutions, Parties, and Coalitions in Argentine Politics (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1993), pp. 192-193.
End of 1988
A bomb explodes in front of a truck that was to transport German and Italian technicians to the Egyptian missile production plant, Factory 17.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 28.
End of 1988
The Iranian Ambassador is brought to Falda del Carmen to prove that the Scud missiles that Iraq is launching at Iran are from the Soviet Union, and have different characteristics than those of the Cóndor II.
—Daniel Santoro, Operación Cóndor II: la historia secreta del misil que desmanteló Menem (Buenos Aires: Ediciones Letra Buena, 1992), p. 28.
End of 1988
Italian production of fins for the Cóndor remains stymied. Albino Bertolina, who oversees the production of the fins and airframes, decides instead to produce both at Falda de Carmen.
—Eduardo Barcelona and Julio Villalonga, Relaciones carnales: la verdadera historia de la construcción y destrucción del misil Cóndor II (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), pp. 130, 139.
21 December 1988
Air Force officials conduct the second flight-test of the Alacrán missile at Chamical, reportedly to test a sub-munition warhead.
—Vann Van Diepen, ["intelligence document"], secret, date not known but circa 1992; translated and published in Martin Granovsky, Misión cumplida: La presión norteamericana sobre la Argentina, de Braden a Todman (Buenos Aires: Planeta, 1992), p. 343.
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