The arrival of the first Danish F-16s marks a turning point for the Fuerza Aérea Argentina, amid urgent modernization, dependence on US support, and budgetary challenges.
In summary
Argentina has just taken delivery of its first six F-16 Fighting Falcons purchased from Denmark, during a ceremony held on December 6, 2025, at the Río Cuarto base. President Javier Milei presented them as “guardian angels” charged with protecting the national airspace, marking the return of supersonic fighter jets to the Fuerza Aérea Argentina after a decade of capacity vacuum. The overall agreement covers 24 modernized Danish F-16s, with a budget of approximately $300 million for the aircraft alone, supplemented by American packages of weapons, logistical support, and modernization that could exceed an additional $900 million. Behind the political image and strong rhetoric, this air defense modernization program involves a massive effort to train pilots, adapt bases, upgrade technicians’ skills, and provide sustainable funding for operational maintenance. It repositions Argentina vis-à-vis its neighbors equipped with F-16s or Gripens, while strengthening its US military support, but it also opens up an internal debate on budget priorities and the country’s ability to bear the long-term cost of these fighter jets.
The presentation of the F-16s in Río Cuarto as a powerful political symbol
The ceremony in Río Cuarto was intended to be a defining moment for Javier Milei‘s administration. Standing in front of the first F-16s lined up on the tarmac, the president described these aircraft as the “guardian angels” of Argentine airspace, emphasizing the break with decades of military underinvestment.
The six aircraft arrived in Argentina on December 5, 2025, after being flown from the Danish base at Skrydstrup, with stopovers in Spain, the Canary Islands, and then Brazil, escorted by American KC-135 tankers. They were officially presented to the public and the authorities the following day at the Área Material Río Cuarto in the province of Córdoba.
This arrival ends a period of nearly ten years without any real supersonic fighter aircraft in the Fuerza Aérea Argentina, since the withdrawal of the Mirage III and V in 2015. The air force now only had modernized A-4AR Fightinghawks and IA-63 Pampa twin-engine training aircraft, which are suitable for close support and training but insufficient for high-altitude air policing or regional deterrence. The official line therefore emphasizes a “return to the club” of air forces with credible interception capabilities.
Beyond the image, this public commissioning also sends a message to the outside world: Argentina is showing its willingness to once again become a serious regional military player, capable of monitoring its borders, its maritime approaches, and the South Atlantic, in a context of recurring tensions with the United Kingdom over the Malvinas/Falklands.
The content of the contract and the real cost of modernization
The 24 Danish F-16s and the basic bill
The core of the program is based on the purchase of 24 used Danish F-16s, in F-16AM/BM MLU (Mid-Life Upgrade) Block 15 versions. The agreement signed in April 2024 is worth approximately $300 million, presented by Buenos Aires as the largest military acquisition in half a century.
The aircraft were operated by the Royal Danish Air Force for several decades, but benefited from the MLU program, which provided them with modernized avionics, improved radar, compatibility with recent weaponry, and an extension of their structural life. In Rio Cuarto, the first tranche includes four F-16BM two-seaters, useful for operational conversion, and two F-16AM single-seaters for combat missions.
The delivery schedule calls for four batches of six aircraft. After this first arrival at the end of 2025, three more tranches are to follow by 2027–2028, at a rate of one delivery per year, to reach the full complement of 24 aircraft.
This volume remains modest on a regional scale, but it is consistent with the size of the current fleet and the country’s financial capabilities. Nevertheless, it is sufficient to constitute a credible air defense core, capable of maintaining a few armed F-16 fighter jets on permanent alert and deploying temporary detachments to other bases.
U.S. weapons, support, and training packages
The Danish contract is only part of the bill. Since the F-16s are aircraft designed and exported by the United States, the transaction required Washington’s approval and is part of a broader package of U.S. military support.
In October 2024, the State Department approved an FMS (Foreign Military Sales) package worth up to $941 million to equip and support the Argentine F-16s. This package includes air-to-air weapons, secure communications equipment, simulators, logistics, technical support, and training.
At the same time, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract worth approximately $266 million to support the transfer of Danish F-16s to Argentina and provide modernization and software support services. In 2025, the Danish group Terma also signed a specific agreement with the Argentine Ministry of Defense for the modernization of certain systems (electronic warfare, weapon pylons, pods) and support for operational commissioning.
In total, if we add up the purchase of aircraft, equipment, training, logistics, and industrial support, the overall financial effort could approach or even exceed $1.5 billion over several years. For an Argentine economy regularly faced with currency crises and inflation, this burden requires strong and sustained political will, beyond the single term of Javier Milei.
The transformation of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina and crew training
The arrival of the F-16s requires a profound transformation of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina. The culture of delta aircraft and Mirage maintenance is giving way to a multi-role F-16 fighter jet, capable of interception, air policing, ground support, and possibly maritime strike, depending on the weapons that are actually acquired.
On the human side, priority is being given to pilot training. The F-16BM two-seaters will enable the gradual conversion of a first generation of pilots from the A-4AR and Pampa squadrons. The training program will have to incorporate more simulation, with high-fidelity flight simulators, in order to reduce flight hour costs and ensure a smooth ramp-up.
Crews will have to master modern concepts of use: tactical data link, networked combat, sophisticated use of radar and electronic warfare systems, and coordinated patrols rather than isolated pairs. Buenos Aires’ stated objective is to rebuild a credible supersonic interception capability, capable of identifying and, if necessary, neutralizing military or civilian aircraft intrusions over long distances.
For mechanics and technicians, the stakes are just as high. The F-16 is a complex aircraft that requires an organized support chain, parts inventory, rigorous maintenance procedures, and strict logistical discipline. The agreements with Lockheed Martin and Terma should help transfer these skills, but they also imply technological dependence on foreign suppliers. The question of locating part of the support in Argentina, or even involving local industry in heavy maintenance work, will be central in the medium term.
Operational integration into Argentine bases
The respective roles of Río Cuarto and Tandil
In the short term, the F-16s are based at Río Cuarto, where reception, workshop, and training facilities have been upgraded. The base serves as a transition hub while the first crews are trained, procedures are adjusted, and logistics are stabilized.
According to information published by the US Embassy, the aircraft will then move to their permanent base in Tandil, historically the heart of Argentine fighter operations, once infrastructure work has been completed and personnel are fully qualified. This approach allows Argentina to leverage the experience accumulated in Tandil while limiting risks during the initial operational integration phase.
The link between the two sites will enable a more flexible air defense posture. Tandil will provide permanent alert and interception missions, while Río Cuarto will retain a technical support, maintenance, and training role. Temporary detachments will be able to supplement coverage of the territory, particularly towards the south and the Atlantic.
Priority missions assigned to the F-16s
The F-16s will initially resume the role of air policing, with armed patrols ready to take off within minutes, capable of intercepting high-altitude, high-speed aircraft, which was no longer possible with the previous aircraft.
In the medium term, once pilots have been trained and weapons stocks built up, the F-16s could also be used for ground attack and close air support, particularly in scenarios involving irregular threats or to protect critical infrastructure. Maritime strike capability remains a question mark, depending on the possible acquisition of modern anti-ship missiles compatible with the aircraft.
Finally, interoperability with the United States and certain NATO allies is clearly emphasized by Washington. Communication standards, procedures, and aircraft type will facilitate Argentina’s participation in multinational exercises, strengthening Buenos Aires’ political and military integration into the Western camp.
Regional strategic issues and alignment choices
The acquisition of the F-16s comes in a highly competitive regional context. Chile already has a fleet of modernized F-16s, Brazil is introducing the Gripen E, and several neighboring countries are modernizing their air surveillance capabilities. Without a credible fleet of fighter jets, Argentina risked becoming permanently marginalized and dependent on its partners for the protection of its airspace.
By choosing the F-16, Buenos Aires is effectively ruling out other options that had been discussed in the past, such as Chinese or Russian fighter jets. The signal sent is clear: Argentina is strategically moving closer to the United States and its European allies, led by Denmark, in exchange for access to proven technologies, a vast support ecosystem, and structured financing through FMS mechanisms.
This orientation is not politically neutral. It strengthens US influence in defining Argentina’s military capabilities and reduces the scope for alternative partnerships. Conversely, it offers a degree of assurance in terms of parts availability, access to software updates, and participation in future modernization programs, as long as the political relationship remains stable.
In the South Atlantic, the strengthening of Argentina’s air force does not challenge British superiority around the Malvinas/Falklands, but it does complicate the planning of a possible conflict and increases the potential cost of an escalation. The mere existence of a fleet of F-16s capable of employing modern air-to-air missiles already weighs heavily on the calculations of regional actors.
Financial and capability challenges in the coming years
While the arrival of the first F-16s has strong symbolic significance, the real battle will be fought over time. Modern fighter jets are expensive to operate: fuel, parts, heavy maintenance, engine rotation, software updates, and ongoing crew training. Similar programs elsewhere show that annual operating costs can exceed tens of thousands of dollars per flight hour, even with used aircraft.
To prevent these F-16s from becoming a “showcase” fleet grounded due to lack of funding, Argentina will need to guarantee stable operating budgets for at least a decade. This means isolating defense spending as much as possible from macroeconomic fluctuations and accepting that a significant portion of these budgets will be captured by a small number of high value-added capabilities.
In terms of capabilities, the challenge will be to go beyond the purchase of airframes and build a complete system: modernized ground radars, ground-to-air air defense, command and control network, in-flight refueling capabilities, and cooperation with other armed forces. Without this environment, the F-16s will remain effective at the tactical level but underutilized at the strategic level.
Finally, integrating local industry into the support chain, even at a modest level (component maintenance, parts manufacturing, participation in regional MCO centers), could reduce long-term costs and create a minimum of autonomy. Otherwise, dependence on foreign service providers will remain high, and each budget crisis will result in a decrease in aircraft availability.
The arrival of these first F-16 Fighting Falcons does not therefore close a chapter; it opens several, ranging from geopolitical alignment choices to budgetary trade-offs, including the future architecture of Argentina’s air defense. The way in which Buenos Aires handles these issues over the next five to ten years will determine whether these “guardian angels” remain a one-off symbol or truly become the lasting backbone of regional air superiority.
Sources:
– Reuters, April 16, 2024 dispatch on the agreement for 24 Danish F-16s
– Argentina’s Ministry of Defense / Danish Ministry of Defense, press releases on the sale of F-16s
– France 24, Buenos Aires Times, December 2025 articles on the Río Cuarto ceremony
– AeroTime, FlightGlobal, FMS documents on the $941 million US package
– Lockheed Martin, Terma, 2024–2025 press releases on contracts for the support and modernization of Argentine F-16s
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