In a ceremony held at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil , the Argentine Air Force officially presented its first F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter, acquired from Denmark as part of a program to modernize its defensive capabilities.
The ceremony, which took place on Monday at 8:00 p.m., was headed by the Minister of Defense, Luis Petri , who was accompanied by senior military officers , including the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Brigadier Xavier Isaac , and the Chief of the Air Force, Brigadier Gustavo Javier Valverde . Local officials and representatives from Denmark and the United States also attended.
The acquisition of the F-16 began with the signing of a contract in April 2024 , which includes the purchase of 25 F-16A/B MLU Block 15 aircraft . The arrival of the first unit is a step that marks the beginning of the process of incorporating these fighters into the Air Force fleet.
According to the plans, it is expected that the infrastructure works to accommodate these aircraft , as well as the continuous training of personnel, will continue in progress at the VI Air Brigade and in the Río Cuarto Material Area .
The new fighter will be capable of performing a variety of tasks, from training flights to more complex missions , thanks to its advanced capabilities. With an endurance of approximately two hours and the ability to operate at speeds exceeding Mach 2, the F-16 provides Argentina with a significant tool for its defense. The aircraft was presented to the public as a training model , equipped with training weapons, including a CATM-120B missile .
Luis Petri highlighted the significance of this advance: “ With this weapons system, we are making a real technological leap that increases our defensive capabilities .” “ For Argentina to become great again, we need strong, trained and prepared Armed Forces ,” he stressed.
For his part, Brigadier Valverde indicated that the choice of this system was not accidental , highlighting that the Air Force had long evaluated what type of aircraft would be most effective in replacing those that were lost, especially in the South Atlantic conflict.
" The choice of this system was not temporary, it was not random, but the Argentine Air Force, many years ago, began to evaluate which was the ideal means to replace the combat elements that were lost, such as the 58 (aircraft) in the South Atlantic conflict (Malvinas War) ," said Brigadier Valverde.
In turn, Luis Alberto Briatore , a fighter pilot, commented on the characteristics of the F-16 and its relevance in the modern combat context, where missions are often carried out at great distances from targets. “ The most important thing is to achieve the objective while risking as little as possible ,” he explained.
Finally, Minister Petri closed the presentation by recalling that the arrival of these aircraft places Argentina among the 26 countries that operate the F-16 , a milestone that represents “ the largest military aeronautical acquisition in more than 40 years .”
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