Following their journey from Denmark’s Skrydstrup Air Base, the supply of the primary six F-16 marks the return of a supersonic fighter functionality in Argentina after many years.
The Argentine Air Power’s (Fuerza Aérea Argentina – FAA) first six F-16AM/BM MLU (Mid-Life Improve) Block 15s reached the nation on Dec. 5, 2025, touchdown on the FAA’s Río Cuarto airbase (Área Materials Río Cuarto/Rio IV Materials Space – ARMACUAR). Pictures launched by the Argentine authorities confirmed a U.S. Air Power KC-135R Stratotanker flanked by three F-16s on either side flying over ARMACUAR upon arrival, adopted by the opposite two KC-135 which supported the supply.
Starting their journey on Nov. 28, 2025, from Denmark’s Skrydstrup Air Base, the jets stopped at each Zaragoza Air Base and Grand Canaria in Spain, the Brazilian Air Power’s Natal Air Base (Base Space de Natal – BANT) and at last the ARMACUAR. These F-16s are a part of 24 purchased from RDAF (Royal Danish Air Power) shares, with the remaining 18 plane to be delivered by way of 2027.
Aterrizaron los F-16 argentinos. Los primeros seis cazas ya están en nuestro país, devolviéndonos la capacidad supersónica y la protección actual de nuestros cielos.
Hoy la defensa nacional vuelve a hacer historia.
Dios bendiga a la República Argentina.
Fin. pic.twitter.com/u00p6zaM2l
— Manuel Adorni (@madorni) December 5, 2025
The six plane delivered sport the tail numbers M-1009, M-1005, M-1008, M-1020, M-1004 and M-1007. Of those, 4, M-1004, 05, 07 and 08, are F-16BM twin-seaters. M-1001, which was the primary Argentine F-16 noticed at Denmark’s Aalborg Air Base in September, was not among the many ones delivered on Dec. 5.
A ceremony is predicted to happen on Dec. 6, within the presence of President Javier Milei and most of the people, marking the induction of the fighters within the FAA. You’ll be able to learn extra about our earlier protection about Argentina’s ex-Danish F-16B MLU Block 15s right here, right here and right here.
Llegaron los F16 argentinos. El Presidente @JMilei está haciendo grande a la Argentina nuevamente. ¡Vamos! pic.twitter.com/eOcNCWJGnL
— Luis Petri (@luispetri) December 5, 2025
Lengthy Awaited Functionality
Manuel Adorni, Argentina’s chief of Cupboard of Ministers, whereas sharing the photographs on X, stated: “The Argentine F-16s have landed. The primary six fighter jets are already in our nation, restoring our supersonic functionality and the actual safety of our skies. In the present day nationwide protection makes historical past as soon as once more.”
Los F16 ya están en el país y son nuestros, por decisión del presidente @JMilei de equipar a las fuerzas para defender a los Argentinos! VLLC 🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/x7ErIyRApk
— Luis Petri (@luispetri) December 5, 2025
All of the plane can be assigned to the FAA’s VI Air Brigade in Tandil. The Ministerio de Defensa (Ministry of Protection) has beforehand reiterated how the F-16 would give the nation once more a supersonic fighter functionality, which was lacking because the retirement of its Dassault Mirage IIIs.
📍Río Cuarto, #Argentina (🇦🇷)
The @FuerzaAerea_Arg F-16s have landed in Argentina.
The 43-year lengthy hunt for a Mirage alternative is lastly concluded. pic.twitter.com/sAtBPiKaGx
— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) December 5, 2025
The occasion has additionally turn into a serious nationwide subject, with the Preventing Falcon’s service in Argentina coming amid rising navy tensions in South America, with the U.S.-Venezuela confrontation over narco-terrorism.
Journey from Denmark to Argentina
For his or her trans-Atlantic journey from the Canary Islands to BANT, the FAA F-16s have been refuelled by three U.S. Air Power KC-135 Stratotankers. After taking off from Denmark’s Skrydstrup Air Base with callsigns CONDOR 11 to CONDOR 16, and touchdown at Zaragoza by late night on Nov. 28, Argentina’s protection minister Luis Petri shared the photographs of the 9 pilots and the 2 crew holding the Argentine flag.
Los F-16 argentinos ya están en camino.
Despegaron entre nubes desde la Base Aérea Skrydstrup, en Dinamarca, y aterrizaron bajo el sol de Zaragoza, España, para su primera escala y reabastecimiento.
Cada tramo que avanzan acorta la distancia con nuestro cielo. En todo el país,… pic.twitter.com/52ZmwjyMJF
— Ministerio de Defensa (@MinDefensa_Ar) November 28, 2025
Stills from a video shared by Luis Petri on Dec. 2 confirmed two of the twin-seater F-16s with solely a pilot within the entrance seat. All plane bear the dark-grey paint scheme and full Argentine Air Power (Fuerza Aérea Argentina) insignia.
🇩🇰🇦🇷 | Se supone que los F-16s BM (Biplaza) vienen con pilotos Argentinos (Asiento trasero), pero no los veo. ¿Donde se subirán? #Curiosidades pic.twitter.com/hmBM58YY3U
— Lautaro (@Lautaro_Chile) December 2, 2025
The plane have been supported by an FAA T-99 (Argentine designation for the Boeing 737-76N) that was captured touchdown at Zaragoza, probably carrying assist crew and tools. An FAA KC-130H Hercules (TC-69) was additionally reported on Nov. 29 on the Grand Canary Islands off the coast of Western Sahara in northwestern Africa. Subsequently, TC-69 was additionally reported at BANT on Dec. 4.
Llegaron los KC-135 #Stratotanker de la #USAF a la Base de Islas Canarias para realizar el soporte y reabastecimiento de los F-16 en el Cruce del Atlántico @1978_facundo @luispetri Fuerza Aérea Argentina @FuerzaAerea_Arg pic.twitter.com/UI1Wmokhet
— Aviacion Defensa (@AviacionDefensa) December 2, 2025
After getting into the South American airspace on Dec. 4, flight monitoring from Flightradar 24 confirmed the KC-135s, one in all them with the callsign RCH071, at Brazil’s Belem Val de Cans Worldwide Airport (Belén Air Base). A video on the identical date additionally confirmed the KC-135 touchdown at Belén AB.
Throughout the journey from BANT to ARMACUAR, flight tracks revealed by ‘SA Defensa’ confirmed the three KC-135s, registrations 63-8031, 60-0328 and 63-8034, getting into Argentine airspace. The plane later carried out the flypast with the six F-16s over ARMACUAR.
📍#Argentina (🇦🇷)
The flight of @usairforce (🇺🇸) KC-135s & @FuerzaAerea_Arg F-16A/Bs have arrived in Argentinian Airspace.
The F-16s are actually residence. pic.twitter.com/U4QELFIQLE
— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) December 5, 2025
Preparations
An Argentine MoD press launch on Nov. 5 famous an FAA delegation traveled to Denmark to just accept, upon thorough inspection and documentation, “the primary logistics bundle for the F-16 program, formally marking the beginning of the tools switch to Argentina.”
Las primeras imágenes ya están acá: los F-16 de la Fuerza Aérea Argentina sobrevolaron Río Cuarto y marcan el regreso de la capacidad supersónica al país después de una década. Los seis cazas —cuatro biplaza y dos monoplaza— completaron su traslado desde Dinamarca con apoyo de… pic.twitter.com/SBD6ZkXiOB
— Zona Militar (@Zonamilitar1) December 5, 2025
Happening on the Danish metropolis of Kolding and the Fighter Wing at Skrydstrup starting Sep. 29 and concluding on Oct. 20, the method additionally noticed the FAA group signing of the Receipt and Switch Doc by the Directorate of Operational Logistics (DALO). The 2 groups additionally coordinated the fabric’s transport to the port of Aarhus, the place it might be shipped to the Port of Buenos Aires.
🇦🇷 Mañana es el día. 🇦🇷Hoy, apenas un adelanto del viaje que ya está haciendo historia.Nuestros F-16 vienen en camino y cada foto lo confirma. Esta es la Argentina grande que estamos construyendo, con capacidad supersónica para defender nuestro cielo.
Mañana aterrizan seis… pic.twitter.com/EYHUZ7jm1r
— Ministerio de Defensa (@MinDefensa_Ar) December 4, 2025
ARMACUAR has additionally undergone an enormous infrastructure improve program, together with runways, aprons, taxiways, hangar modernization and arrestor cable system, vetted by the U.S. Air Power Safety Help Crew, DALO and the Prime Aces ADAIR (Adversary Air) coaching providers firm.
Un vuelo histórico que tiene como protagonistas a un equipo de pilotos argentinos y daneses. Ellos atraviesan países, fronteras y el océano para que estos aviones lleguen a destino.
En pocos días, los F-16 surcarán nuestro cielo y aterrizarán en suelo argentino. Y ese momento… pic.twitter.com/IayVVsVcGl
— Ministerio de Defensa (@MinDefensa_Ar) December 1, 2025
Argentina’s Peace Condor program
The FAA acquired its first F-16B MLU (Mid-Life Improve) Block 10, a twin-seat variant, on Dec. 16, 2024, in a disassembled state aboard the service’s KC-130H Hercules at El Palomar. The plane departed from Denmark’s Aalborg Air Base, and was later transported to Tandil Air Base.
A las 16:45 (19:45Z) los 6 F-16 de la Fuerza Aérea Argentina en la base aérea de Natal (BANT) desde Gando (Las Palmas). Con un bello peel-off. @edadmartinez @MalvinasData pic.twitter.com/tBXoAwCeLS
— Charton (@chartonsalvador) December 3, 2025
The FAA’s VI Brigade then unveiled it with full service markings, livery and tail quantity M-1210, on Feb. 24, 2025, at Tandil. This plane nonetheless is just not a flying airframe, and would solely be employed for coaching functions.
The plane was beforehand numbered ET-210 whereas in Danish service, and was coincidentally concerned within the operationalization of the RDAF’s (Royal Danish Air Power) F-35s, flying as chase aircraft at Edwards AFB, California, throughout testing.
Excelentes fotos de los F-16 y los KC-135 saliendo de Gran Canaria hoy a la mañana📸Antonio Rodríguez pic.twitter.com/HdoiNVxkl3
— Alejo (@Aalejo_Arg) December 3, 2025
The FAA has been with out a supersonic fighter since 2015, after retiring its final Dassault Mirage IIIs. The service has relied, since then, on the older era A-4AR Fightinghawk, with round 30 jets purchased from the U.S. in 1983 after the Falklands Battle.
To weaponize the F-16s, Buenos Aires has additionally been authorised a $941 million bundle by the U.S., which incorporates 36 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM (Superior Medium-Vary Air-to-Air Missile) and 102 500 pound Mk-82 bombs.
