Area De Material Airport (RCU)

Las Higueras Airport operates as a strategically important dual-use facility serving Rio Cuarto in Córdoba Province, positioned 7 kilometers northeast of the city near Las Higueras suburb in Argentina's prime agricultural heartland. The airport houses the Área Material Río Cuarto (ARMACUAR), the Argentine Air Force's major maintenance facility specializing in D-level inspections and overhaul operations for combat and training aircraft, alongside the Centro de Investigación de Tecnologías Aeronáuticas (CITA) conducting advanced aeronautical research.

At 1,380 feet elevation, the airport operates two runways (05/23 and 18/36) with extensive blast pads of 250 meters on Runway 05 and 125 meters on Runway 23, equipped with Rio Cuarto VOR (TRC) and non-directional beacon (R) navigation aids to support both military and civilian operations. Military terminal facilities accommodate the specialized maintenance and research activities essential for Argentina's air defense capabilities, while civilian operations serve the region's agricultural economy including soybean production, cattle farming, and university research activities.

Rio Cuarto's strategic location in Córdoba Province places the airport at the center of Argentina's agricultural powerhouse, supporting the Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto's research programs and the region's contribution to Argentina's dominant soybean industry, which produces nearly 20% of the world's soybeans. The facility serves an economy where agriculture contributes 10% to national GDP and 60% to exports, with Córdoba's 87,865 square kilometers of agricultural area representing one of Argentina's most productive farming regions.

Terminal operations coordinate military aviation maintenance schedules with civilian flights supporting the regional agricultural economy, including connections for agricultural professionals, university researchers, and government officials managing Argentina's agricultural research and production networks. The airport's dual military-civilian role reflects Rio Cuarto's importance as both an air defense maintenance center and a gateway to one of South America's most productive agricultural regions where traditional cattle farming has evolved alongside modern intensive soybean cultivation.