The Argentine Air Force already has its first F-16 fighter jet in its country. On Wednesday, the country’s Defense Minister, Luis Petri, showcased the aircraft that arrived disassembled from Denmark in recent days.
The F-16B MLU Block 10 jet is a two-seat variant that will not fly. It will be used by the VI Air Brigade of Tandil for training pilots and ground personnel.
The first Lockheed Martin fighter jet was brought disassembled by two Argentine Hercules.
Follow Air Data News: WhatsApp | Google News | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
The KC-130H aircraft, registration TC-69, landed in Argentina on December 15, carrying the aircraft’s fuselage, while another Hercules, the TC-66, had arrived earlier with other parts and the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 engine.
Ferry flights starting in December 2025
The airframe that arrived in Argentina is not part of the 24 operational F-16A/B Block 15 fighters acquired jointly from Denmark in the middle of this year.
These jets will only be received starting in December 2025 and will fly from Denmark to South America in four joint flights with six aircraft.
The first batch will have four F-16Bs and two F-16As and will have support from U.S. Air Force tanker aircraft for the flight. According to the Air Force, the planes will be piloted by Danes.
While waiting for the aircraft, the Argentine Air Force is investing in a training and maintenance center, as well as modernizing the air base where the F-16s will be based.
The government is also reportedly in talks with the United States to acquire at least one Boeing KC-135R aerial refueling aircraft to extend the range of the F-16s, since they are equipped with the rigid boom system.
