Chile will nearly double 2026 defense investment from 2025 levels and make its full legally required contribution for the first time, Defense Minister Fernando Barros said. The amount is classified; upgrades include aircraft and tanks in the far south.
Air Force funding will support a study of replacements for F-5 fighters and the start of a project to replace C-130 Hercules transports. Barros said Chile intends to acquire four long-range patrol aircraft and five aircraft for Antarctic service, to be incorporated in 2027 and 2028. The Army is authorized to modernize Leopard 1 tanks in Magallanes to extend their service life; new bases, including one on Tierra del Fuego, are under study, and funding will be sought for naval infrastructure in Punta Arenas.
Defense was one of three sectors exempted from a 3% spending cut; Barros said cuts could affect capabilities tied to national security and sovereignty. The announcement followed weeks of tension with Argentina over the Strait of Magellan. Presidents reaffirmed Chilean sovereignty, but an Argentine regulation referring to joint control remains unresolved. Former presidents Michelle Bachelet and Gabriel Boric expressed concern that Chile's participation in the U.S.-backed Shield of the Americas could affect sovereignty and security. Barros said the agreement authorizes no foreign military intervention and imposes no obligations on Chile, while acknowledging he did not know all its details.
