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Key Points on F-16 Deal: The Argentine Air Force (FAA) has received its first F-16B Fighting Falcon from Denmark, marking a significant milestone in revitalizing its supersonic capabilities after an eight-year gap. Delivered disassembled via a KC-130H cargo plane, the Block 10 fighter will initially serve for training purposes.

-Over the next five years, 23 more second-hand F-16s will arrive, with operational readiness for the first batch expected by late 2024. This $320 million deal, approved by the U.S., strengthens Argentina’s defense capabilities while curbing Chinese influence in South America.

-The modernization, overseen by Lockheed Martin, underscores Washington’s commitment to its key regional ally.

F-16 Fighting Falcons to Revitalize Argentina’s Air Force After 8-Year Gap

The Fuerza Aérea Argentina’s (Argentine Air Force’s) first F-16B Fighting Falcon has arrived just in time for the holidays – and like those presents that will be under the tree next week, some assembly will be required.

The second-hand fighter, which is the first of two dozen purchased from Denmark, didn’t fly from Europe to the South American country. Instead, it was transported disassembled and carried inside a KC-130H cargo plane – as the Block 10 aircraft was a non-flying unit that would be used for training.

South American and global defense news outlet SA Defensa shared images on X of the jet as it was carefully loaded about the transport and then unloaded at the IV Air Brigade in Tandil, Argentina.

Deliveries of the previously flown fighters will continue in 2025, and is likely the next six Fighting Falcons will make the flight assembled and operational. The full two dozen F-16s should arrive by the end of 2028, and current plans call for the first batch to be operational with the FAA by this time next year.

The F-16 in South America

The FAA “has been without a supersonic fighter since 2015,” when Buenos Aires retired the last of its French-made Dassault Mirage III fighters, TheAviationist reported.

The South American nation had been exploring numerous options, including aircraft from China and Russia – notably the Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name Fencer) and the Chinese-Pakistani JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. Washington certainly didn’t want to see Beijing gain a foothold in the South American nation’s defense and security infrastructure, which could have resulted in Buenos Aires opting for other Chinese military hardware.

“Other Latin American countries would have been encouraged to follow in its footsteps,” Rick Fisher, a senior fellow at the Washington-based International Assessment and Strategy Center, told Voice of America earlier this year.

However, Argentine military officials had expressed the most interest in the former Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) F-16 Fighting Falcons. That likely solved a major headache for Washington and was likely welcome news for aerospace Lockheed Martin, which will oversee the modernization of the fighters.

NATO F-16. Image Credit: NATO Flickr.

In October, the U.S. State Department signed off on the deal between Argentina and Denmark, which has been valued at $320 million.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in South America,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced.

“The proposed sale will improve Argentina’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing the additional capacity to conduct air defense, offensive counter air, and close air support operations. Argentina will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” DSCA added. “The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Senior Editor focusing on defense issues for 19FortyFive. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,500 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on X: @PeterSuciu – and on Bluesky: @petersuciu.bsky.social.