Following the arrival of the DART (Deployable Advanced Readiness Trainer) simulators last March, the Argentine Air Force has reached a new milestone in the incorporation of the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters acquired from Denmark, with the commissioning of its new Tactical Simulation Center at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil.
As part of the “Peace Condor” Program, which includes the acquisition and incorporation of 24 F-16A/B MLU Block 15 fighters from Denmark, the Air Force has been advancing in the adoption of new capabilities and technologies to support the new weapons system, focusing on the training and preparation of its future pilots.
One of the key milestones in this process is the activation of the new Tactical Simulation Center at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil, which is being made possible through the necessary infrastructure works and upgrades, as well as the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment.
More specifically, as reported at the end of last March, the arrival of four new DART simulators provided by the Danish company Arenalogic was completed, along with IFACTS-2 fire support simulators from the company IFAD.
As reported by the Argentine Air Force on May 21, the new Tactical Simulation Center in Tandil was inaugurated and put into operation, which will allow “…future aviators to train in an immersive, highly realistic, and dynamic environment of complex scenarios, fully replicating the cockpit and Operational Flight Program (OFP) software of the aircraft that Argentina will operate.”
“The simulator allows the aircraft’s flight envelope and available weaponry to be accurately represented, which marks a major technological leap in simulation capabilities for the Institution,” explained Major Roberto Leytes, a member of the F-16 Program. He added: “The idea is for this system to complement actual flight operations. In other words, not to be a system used only before the F-16s arrive, but to be part of the daily training and coexist with the weapons system.”
Among the functions of the new simulators, the following stand out:
- Training in combat techniques and tactics
- Simulation of complex scenarios
- Tactic validation and weapons employment
- Familiarization with the F-16 and its avionics and sensor systems
- Operational procedure practice
- Real-time integration with aircraft in flight
- Participation in international virtual exercises with other forces
*Photos and images: Argentine Air Force.
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