Argentina and Denmark sealed a $300 million contract in April for 24 second-hand F-16 jets. The Fuerza Aérea Argentina has been without a supersonic fighter since 2015, following the retirement of its last Dassault Mirage IIIs.
Argentina’s first F-16B, purchased from Denmark, landed in the country on Dec. 16, 2024, after being transported disassembled inside the cargo hold of an Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina) KC-130H Hercules. The KC-130H (registration TC-69) departed from Aalborg Air Base in Denmark and landed at El Palomar, from where the F-16 will be further transported to Tandil Air Base.
According to Pucara, another Hercules (TC-66) transported the engine, components, spares parts and other tools last week. Reuters reported that Argentina and Denmark sealed a $300 million contract in April 2024 for 24 second-hand F-16A/B MLU jets. That agreement also included delivery of four flight simulators, eight engines and spare parts for the aircraft for five years.
The U.S. additionally approved a $941 million package in October that includes weapons and spare parts. “The proposed sale will improve Argentina’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing the additional capacity to conduct air defense, offensive counter air, and close air support operations,” said the U.S. Department of State.
The FAA has been without a supersonic fighter since 2015, after retiring its last Dassault Mirage IIIs. The service has relied, since then, on the older generation A-4AR Fightinghawk, with around 30 jets bought from the U.S. in 1983 after the Falklands War.
¡TENEMOS EL PRIMER F-16 EN ARGENTINA! Hoy, el C-130 de la @FuerzaAerea_Arg aterrizó en El Palomar con el fuselaje a bordo, y siguió rumbo a Tandil para iniciar el armado. Una gran noticia para nuestra defensa y un motivo de orgullo para todos los argentinos. pic.twitter.com/XQVK7EMIaB
— Ministerio Defensa (@MinDefensa_Ar) December 15, 2024
The first F-16B, designated ET-210, interestingly played an important role in Denmark’s operationalization of the F-35s. In fact, the aircraft was used as a chase plane during testing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
RDAF F-16 ET-210, converted for technical training, was delivered to Argentina this week. More: https://t.co/R21Q2vhT2A#rdaf #faa #f16 pic.twitter.com/mOGsQVmsy9
— F-16.net 🦋@f-16.net (@F16net) December 13, 2024
The deliveries of the remaining F-16s will begin in 2025, with six aircraft planned, and will continue until 2028. Meanwhile, the twin-seater aircraft just delivered will serve as a training platform, with the goal of having the first operational F-16s by Dec. 2025.
There are conflicting reports, however, mentioning that ET-210 might not fly in Argentina after all. In fact, the aircraft is the only Block 10 F-16 included in the contract, with the remaining ones being Block 15s, and as such it is being reported it will be used only for ground training. The aircraft will be officially presented on Dec. 18.
Argentinian C-130s in Denmark to transport the first F-16
On Dec. 13, 2024, the Argentine Ministry of Defense posted images of the F-16’s fuselage, without the wings, the vertical stabilizer and radome, being loaded onto the C-130H. “The F-16 is one step away from arriving at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil. The last components of the F-16BM Block 10 fuselage were loaded onto the C-130 Hercules, ready to travel from Denmark to our country. A dream that our fighter pilots have been waiting for for a long time and that is now about to become a reality. It’s getting closer and closer,” said the MoD in an Instagram post.
On Dec. 16, the Argentine MoD again posted on Instagram after the C-130H arrived at El Palomar with the F-16. “Today, the C-130 of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina landed at El Palomar with the fuselage on board, and continued to Tandil to begin the assembly. A great news for our defense and a reason to be proud of for all Argentinians.” Tandil Military Air Base, in the Buenos Aires Province, is home to the VI Air Brigade and will be the home of the newly acquired F-16s.
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Argentine Minister of Defense Luis Petri also shared the images of the loading of the disassembled F-16 into the cargo hold of the C-130 Hercules, under the supervision of the ground crew: “With the second flight of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina to Denmark, we complete the arrival of the first F-16 to Argentina. It is the most important purchase for national defense. Having a supersonic aircraft system is not only a deterrent, but also guarantees the real exercise of sovereignty, protecting our airspace like never before,” Petri said.
