M-1001: the first F-16BM fighter jet arriving in December already bears the colors of the Argentine Air Force

Por

19 September, 2025

As December approaches—the date when the first aircraft are set to arrive at Área Material Río Cuarto—the first image of the future F-16AM/BM fighters of the Argentine Air Force has begun to circulate. Currently, the first six aircraft—four twin-seaters and two single-seaters—are being prepared at the Aalborg logistics base of the Royal Danish Air Force.

As recent images confirm, and which quickly spread online, the first F-16BM, now bearing the markings and emblems of the Argentine Air Force, was recently spotted. Notably, this aircraft, the first of the 24-unit series, carries the tail number M-1001.

Prior to the circulation of these images, the first glimpse of the future Argentine Air Force F-16s took place last February, when aircraft number “25” of the Peace Condor Program was presented at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil. That aircraft, registered as M-1210, is currently serving as a ground trainer for Argentine personnel at the newly established Training Center built for this purpose.

Later, at the end of last June, during an official visit by national authorities led by the Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, the ongoing preparation and readiness work for the first batch of F-16s—scheduled to arrive in December—was highlighted. Their first destination will be Área Material Río Cuarto in Córdoba, while infrastructure and facility upgrades continue in Tandil.

It is worth noting that the recently introduced 2026 Budget Bill includes investments for the recovery and incorporation of new infrastructure and service capabilities to support the F-16 program, as outlined in the annex “Acquisition of Goods and Services with impact on Future Fiscal Years.”

These programs include investments for communications equipment, facility security and defense, ground handling services, and runway and helipad maintenance—not only in Tandil but also at units in Córdoba and Buenos Aires.

Finally, while images of the “M-1001” continue to circulate, it is also worth mentioning the recent visit by delegations from Top Aces, the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO), and the Air Force Security Assistance Training (AFSAT), together with members of the F-16 Program, to Área Material Río Cuarto. The purpose of the visit was to inspect facilities, infrastructure, and procedures of the Argentine Air Force (FAA).