With the VI Air Brigade of Tandil, Buenos Aires, as the setting, the Argentine Air Force presented the first F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet acquired from Denmark. Specifically, it is a twin-seat F-16BM Block 10, officially designated as “number 25,” intended for training, instruction, and pilot development, as well as for support crews, mechanics, and engineers working with the new weapons system.
The ceremony, which began after 8:00 p.m., was led by Argentina’s Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, accompanied by the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces (EMCFFAA), Brigadier Xavier Isaac; the Chief of the Air Force, Brigadier Gustavo Javier Valverde; the Chief of the Army, General Carlos Presti; and the Chief of the Navy, Rear Admiral Carlos Allievi.
During his speech, the head of the defense ministry stated: “With this weapons system, we are making a true technological leap. We are enhancing our defensive capabilities. We are also recovering and modernizing every part of this base so that these F-16s can perform at their maximum capacity.”
“In order for Argentina to be great again, we need strong, trained, and prepared Armed Forces,” he added, also emphasizing: “This is the era in which we understand that a nation cannot defend itself if it is condemned to submission. The era in which national defense is not an expense, but the most important investment to guarantee peace.”
With the official presentation of the aircraft, the Argentine Air Force symbolically begins the process of incorporating the F-16 weapons system, which began in April 2024 with the signing of an agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark for the acquisition of 24 F-16A/B MLU Block 15 aircraft.
In the coming months, pilot training and personnel development for the platform are expected to continue, while infrastructure upgrades and renovations progress at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil and the Río Cuarto Material Area (AMACUAR).
Finally, by the end of the year, the first batch of operational aircraft from the Royal Danish Air Force is expected to arrive, initially operating from AMACUAR until the renovation work at the VI Air Brigade is completed.
*Photographs: Zona Militar.
