A decade after retiring the Dassault Mirage III, the Argentine Air Force has regained a supersonic fighter capability with the introduction of the F-16.
The Argentine Air Force’s (Fuerza Aérea Argentina – FAA) first F-16B MLU (Mid Life Update) Block 10 purchased from Denmark was unveiled in a ceremony hosted by the VI Air Brigade at Tandil Air Base on Feb. 24, 2025. The aircraft arrived in the country disassembled on Dec. 16, 2024, transported aboard a KC-130H.
The twin-seater jet has been painted with the livery and markings of the Argentine Air Force, with serial number M-1210. However, this first aircraft will not be used for flying operations, as it is planned to be used only for ground training of flight crews and maintenance personnel.
The Argentine Ministry of Defense (Ministerio de Defensa) called the F-16 “one of the best aircraft in the world,” which will “strengthen the defense of the sovereignty far and wide and throughout the national territory.” Senior defense, FAA and Argentine military veterans who fought in the Falklands War (or what the Argentines call the Malvinas War) attended the event. The FAA said the F-16 would become the backbone of the Argentine air defense.
The aircraft was shown carrying two AIM-120 AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) on its wingtips, two AIM-9 Sidewinders on its outermost hardpoint, and two indigenous FAS-850 Dardo 3 glide bombs, as well as two external fuel tanks. The Dardo 3 is a 500 lb weapon with GPS guidance, powered by a small jet turbine for a range of up to 200 km.
El nuevo F-16 de la @FuerzaAerea_Arg es una realidad. En la VI Brigada Aérea, el Ministro @luispetri presentó el primero de los cazas F-16 con los que nuestro país recupera su capacidad supersónica, y señaló: “Para que la Argentina vuelva a ser grande necesitamos Fuerzas Armadas… pic.twitter.com/OVX5Q3A0F4
— Ministerio de Defensa (@MinDefensa_Ar) February 25, 2025
The first F-16 left Aalborg Air Base in Denmark aboard a FAA KC-130H Hercules and landed at El Palomar, from where it proceeded to Tandil Air Base. The aircraft was transported without the wings, vertical stabilizers and radome, while another Hercules carried spares, components and maintenance equipment.
The delivery of the other 24 F-16s, which are Block 15 variants, will begin in 2025. Six aircraft are planned to be delivered this year, with the remaining F-16s to be delivered by 2028.
Conocé de cerca el F-16 N°25 que formará parte del Centro de Instrucción Terrestre en la VI Brigada Aérea. Este nuevo Sistema de Armas Supersónico F-16 será la columna vertebral del sistema de defensa aérea argentino y estas son algunas de sus impresionantes características que… pic.twitter.com/Ub5IeEPMJn
— Ministerio de Defensa (@MinDefensa_Ar) February 25, 2025
Long overdue FAA modernization
The FAA outlined the F-16’s capabilities, including a top speed of Mach 2, an altitude ceiling of 50,000 feet, and its advanced all-weather air defense capability with medium- and short-range air-to-air missiles. The service highlighted the presence of “secure communications and data transmission equipment, capable of integrating into the regional and international framework, ready to operate within complex scenarios.”
Argentina and Denmark sealed a $300 million contract in Apr. 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. This was followed by the U.S. approving a $941 million package in October that includes weapons and spare parts, after first approving the F-16’s transfer in 2023.
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. Interestingly, ET-210 (the jet’s serial number while in service with Denmark) played an important role in Denmark’s operationalization of the F-35s, where the aircraft was used as a chase plane during testing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Un día histórico para la reconstrucción de nuestra Defensa Nacional con la incorporación del caza F-16 a la @FuerzaAerea_Arg. Concretamos la mayor adquisición aeronáutica militar en más de 40 años. Bajo el liderazgo de nuestro Presidente @JMilei, damos este paso trascendental… pic.twitter.com/IWvX9gxSjS
— Luis Petri (@luispetri) February 25, 2025
Defense minister Luis Petri said that, with the F-16B, the FAA has again “regained the supersonic capability.” Calling the induction of the F-16B a “historic day for the reconstruction of [Argentina’s] National Defense,” he said the country has “completed the largest military aeronautical acquisition in more than 40 years.”
“This supersonic weapon system places us among the 26 countries that operate one of the best aircraft in the world. It is not just technology, it is deterrent power. It is sovereignty. It is the future of our country. It is peace and protection for all Argentines,” Petri said.
Aircraft operationalization
On Dec. 19, 2024, three days after it landed in the country, the MoD posted the first images of the F-16B MLU Block 10 at Tandil Air Base, without the protective covering and just the bare fuselage and the rest of the control surfaces missing. Petri was touring the FAA’s hangars at the time, inspecting the assembly work that was set to commence.
With the aircraft now put back together and the next batch of six F-16B Block 15s expected to arrive by the end of 2025, the subsequent steps, according to La Derecha Diario, are “reconditioning works” to be carried out “on the runway and new hangars” to house the entire fleet.
La Derecha Diario further mentioned that the remaining will fly directly to Argentina from Denmark, instead of being delivered disassembled like the first airframe. “Finally, there is speculation that the acquisition of tanker aircraft for in-flight refueling could be a necessity in the future, with the aim of extending the operational autonomy of the F-16s,” the report added.
El F-16 marca un antes y un después en la Defensa, redefiniendo el poder aéreo argentino.
El Ministro @luispetri recorrió los hangares de la VI Brigada Aérea en Tandil e inspeccionó el primer F-16B MLU Block 10. Un hito histórico que refuerza las capacidades operativas de… pic.twitter.com/bLszriPlME
— Ministerio de Defensa (@MinDefensa_Ar) December 18, 2024
Notably, Tandil was also home to the FAA’s Mirage IIIs, which were decommissioned in 2015. Also, the A-4ARs are currently facing a series of technical issues, and are likely to be permanently retired soon.
