As part of the efforts being made by the Argentine Air Force (FAA) to integrate the F-16 system, and within the framework of the Peace Condor Program, an FAA delegation carried out an official visit to the facilities of the aggressor company Top Aces in Mesa, Arizona (USA). From June 2 to 6, members of the F-16 Program, together with the Director of the F-16 Weapon System Implementation Committee, directly verified the progress of the general course and the specialized training being conducted by the company for the first group of Argentine technicians as part of their preparation to operate and maintain the future fighter jets.
During the working sessions, the Argentine representatives attended presentations on Top Aces’ training capabilities, reviewed the curriculum content, toured maintenance workshops and the model hangar, and directly observed the academic activities being carried out by the Argentine technical personnel in training. This course is part of the Government-to-Government agreement between Argentina and the United States, established through the Letter of Agreement (LOA) signed in December 2024.
Top Aces was selected by the U.S. Government through the Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron (AFSAT), an entity under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC), responsible for coordinating and supervising the training of international personnel. With over 25 years of experience and more than 140,000 accumulated flight hours, Top Aces provides services to NATO air forces and other countries, standing out for its training programs in electronic warfare, adversary air (Red Air), aerial refueling, close air support, and technical maintenance training.
As previewed in the interview conducted by Zona Militar with the heads of the “Peace Condor” program, this training phase is part of a long-term process that began with an intensive technical English program, including six hours of daily in-person classes and the use of a virtual platform specifically tailored for the F-16 system. At that time, they emphasized that “It was impressive how the technical personnel raised their level, as they had to meet a minimum standard to be eligible and start the general F-16 course in the United States.”
Meanwhile, training of the remaining personnel continues in Argentina with the goal of developing a critical mass of specialists to ensure the operational sustainment of the system. Currently, there is a group of Argentine technicians in the United States who have been undergoing instruction for over two months, with new contingents expected to join soon.
The next phase in the training of these specialists will be the so-called Over the Shoulder Training at Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark. There, Argentine technical personnel will work alongside the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) using the F-16s, tools, and equipment already acquired by the Argentine Air Force. This phase will complete a rigorous training cycle that will span more than two years, ensuring a smooth and safe transition to operating the new weapon system.
Simultaneously, work is progressing on the installation of the new Training Center at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil. It includes the DART (Deployable Advanced Readiness Trainer) simulator, which arrived in the country in March and is already operational, marking a key step in the local preparation of technical personnel for the comprehensive sustainment of the F-16 system.
Image credits: Argentine Air Force.
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