(DEFESANet) In a historic moment, the Danish Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, and the Argentine Minister of Defense, Luis Alfonso Petri, officially signed the contract for the purchase of 24 F-16A/B MLU Fighting Falcon fighters for the Argentine Air Force (FAA). The ceremony took place at Skrydstrup Air Base.
Among the Argentine authorities present were the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (EMCO), Brigadier General Xavier Isaac, and the Chief of Staff of the Argentine Air Force (JEMGFAA), Brigadier Major Fernando Mengo. President Milei attended the ceremony virtually, briefly expressing his gratitude to those involved in the process.
The Danish Minister of Defense stated during the event: “…In Denmark, we are going through a process of generational replacement of our fighter fleet, migrating to the new F-35s. I am therefore very pleased that the Danish F-16 fighters, which have served us well over the years and have undergone rigorous maintenance and technological upgrades, will now benefit the Argentine Air Force. With this agreement, we strengthen cooperation between Denmark and Argentina in the area of defense, while Argentina joins the global community of nations operating F-16 fighters…” .
The sale of the 24 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, along with a complete package of equipment for operating and maintaining the aircraft, was made possible thanks to close coordination with the US government, which promoted and authorized the sale of these US-made aircraft to Argentina.
This acquisition represents an important milestone in the modernization and strengthening of the Argentine Air Force’s capabilities, allowing the country to rely on F-16 multipurpose fighters.
As reported by Danish media, the sale of fighter jets to Argentina was worth 2.1 billion crowns (approximately 300 million dollars). The arrival of the F-16s will be accompanied by dozens of containers of material, allowing the Argentine Air Force to adapt to the new aircraft and ensure their local operation and maintenance.
Some relevant details mentioned recently indicate that some of the F-16s arriving in Argentina already have the latest M-Tape upgrades. In addition, the fighters are expected to be incorporated with a wide range of armaments, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles. Another relevant point is the authorization to make a significant investment in the Tandil Air Base, with the aim of improving the infrastructure of the VI Air Brigade.
Details of the agreement
- Aircraft: The 24 F-16A/B MLUs, which previously belonged to Denmark, will be transferred to Argentina.
- Ammunition: The package includes AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120D AMRAAM missiles.
International cooperation
- The sale of the F-16 fighters to Argentina was carried out in cooperation with the United States.
- Coordination with Washington was essential to carry out this operation, and US authorization was required for the sale of these systems.
- The US State Department issued the authorizations, followed by the approval of the US Congress.
Danish context
- Denmark is undergoing a generational change in its defense, gradually replacing F-16 fighters with F-35A stealth fighters.
- As part of this transition, Denmark has chosen to sell 24 F-16s to Argentina and donate another 19 to Ukraine.
The agreement represents an important step towards modernizing and strengthening the capabilities of the Argentine Air Force, allowing the country to regain its supersonic capability and become part of the global community of nations operating F-16 fighters.
*** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***