At the end of last February, the Argentine Air Force reached a new milestone with the presentation of its first F-16BM fighter, intended for ground instruction. While the incorporation process formally began in April 2024 with the signing of the contract with Denmark for the purchase of 24 F-16A/B MLU aircraft, the presentation held at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil, Buenos Aires, marks the symbolic beginning of the process. However, this is accompanied by related processes taking place in multiple areas to support the new combat aircraft of the Argentine Republic. This is evident from the recent awarding of a contract by the United States government to Lockheed Martin to provide various upgrade services and support for the transfer and modernization of the aircraft acquired from Denmark.
According to the official publication by the Department of Defense released yesterday, March 7, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract worth “…an indefinite contract with a maximum value of $265,960,280 to support the F-16 system program under Foreign Military Sales (FMS)…”, which includes “…the upgrade of the operational flight program and the transfer of F-16 aircraft from Denmark to Argentina.”
Although no further details were disclosed—considering that specific clauses and details are covered by the confidentiality of the operation—the contract applies to the fleet of 24 F-16 MLU aircraft acquired by Argentina, which are expected to begin arriving at the Argentine Air Force by the end of 2025. Additionally, the contract extends the services and work carried out by the company into the next decade, stating that these “…will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas; Denmark; and Argentina, and are expected to be completed by March 31, 2032.”
Furthermore, the statement adds: “This contract is part of the FMS program to Argentina and was awarded through a directed acquisition process. At the time of the award, a total of $53,192,056 in FMS funds had been committed.”
As various sources have indicated, the aircraft previously served with the Royal Danish Air Force, receiving several upgrades after undergoing the MLU program. This raised the Danish F-16s to Tape M6.5 at the time of their retirement and subsequent transfer to Argentina. It is likely that the work to be performed on the Fighting Falcons will include these updates, which have not been officially disclosed and remain speculative at this time.
Currently, the Argentine Air Force is making various preparations for the upcoming arrival of the F-16s in flight condition, scheduled for late this year. Among these efforts is the refurbishment and maintenance of the runway at Área Material Río Cuarto (ARMACUAR), which will be the initial home of the new weapons system. At the same time, infrastructure work is progressing at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil, where the aircraft will operate in the future.
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