Argentina will soon receive the first six Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters of 24 ordered from Denmark in 2024, with the remainder coming by the end of 2027.
The F-16 Mid-Life Update fighters departed from Skyrdstrup air base in Denmark on Nov. 28, beginning a weeklong ferry operation that included a stop in Zaragoza, Spain.
The aircraft are expected to arrive on Dec. 5 at Rio Cuarto air base in central Argentina, which will become the home for the country’s 24-strong F-16 fleet. The remaining 18 will be delivered from Denmark through the end of 2027.
“In just a few days, F-16s will soar through our skies and land on Argentine soil,” the Defense Ministry announced on social media on Dec. 1.
The F-16 arrival marks a long-awaited upgrade for the depleted Argentine Air Force, which had been reduced to a handful of aging, subsonic Douglas A-4AR attack aircraft.
The $941 million export package approved by the U.S. government includes 36 RTX AIM-120C-8 missiles and 102 500-lb. Mk-82 bombs.
Argentina previously received an additional F-16 from Denmark, but it is limited to ground training only and not part of the country’s future fleet of 24 operational fighters.
Related Content
