Merlo Airport

Military Conversion. The site was selected by the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina - FAA) to establish a new military air base. The existing civil aerodrome was expropriated and repurposed for military use, becoming the Base Aérea Militar (BAM) Merlo.

The site is an active and crucial military installation. It is the home of the VII Air Brigade (VII Brigada Aérea) of the Argentine Air Force. The base, now known as Base Aérea Militar Merlo (ICAO: SADM), is the primary helicopter base for the FAA. It operates various helicopter squadrons (such as those with Bell 212/412 and Hughes 500 aircraft) and is central to search and rescue (SAR) operations, troop transport, liaison duties, and support for Argentina's Antarctic campaigns. The original civil airport no longer exists; it has been fully integrated and developed into this military facility.

Prior to its military conversion, the Aeródromo de Merlo was a civil airfield serving the western Greater Buenos Aires area. It primarily handled general aviation, including private aircraft, flight training operations from local aeroclubs, and recreational flying. Its historical significance lies in its role as a local aviation hub before being transformed into one of the most important helicopter bases for the Argentine Air Force.

None. There are no plans or prospects for reopening the site as a civil airport. It is a strategic, active military air base and a core component of the Argentine Air Force's operational structure. Its function as a military installation precludes any return to civil aviation use.