The withdrawal of Argentina’s final A-4AR Fightinghawks was formally introduced on Could 14, 2026, ending 60 years of Argentinian A-4 operations.
Starting in 1966 with the supply of 25 A-4B Skyhawks to the Argentinian Air Pressure, the ‘scooter’ has been energetic in Argentina’s fight plane fleet for six a long time. Argentina was the primary abroad operator of the American design, and utilised it each from land bases in addition to from the plane provider ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (previously HMS Venerable and HNLMS Karel Doorman).
Within the mid Nineties, Argentina started taking supply of ex U.S. Marine Corps A-4s that had acquired an improve package deal with new avionics and flight techniques. These acquired the designation A-4AR Fightinghawk, and changed all of Argentina’s older A-4s by 1999.
📍#Argentina (🇦🇷)
The @FuerzaAerea_Arg has introduced in the present day they’ve formally retired the A-4AR Fightinghawk.
Argentina was one of many final Air Pressure operators of the sort, now leaving solely the @marmilbr (🇧🇷) as the ultimate operator. pic.twitter.com/8XZEpnTrUl
— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) Could 14, 2026
It ought to be famous, although, that the A-4AR’s operations have been severely restricted for a few years. Price range cuts and spares shortages meant that the fleet was ‘grounded’ in 2016, though some flying did proceed. One instance crashed in 2020, and one other in 2024. Each incidents have been deadly. There are conflicting experiences in regards to the subsequent exercise of the A-4AR fleet, with some stating they’ve been grounded ever since whereas others declare a gradual return to service started in July 2025.
🇦🇷 | Con la baja del Sistema de Armas A-4AR Fightinghawk de la Fuerza Aérea Argentina termina una épica historia de los “Scooter” en Argentina. Merecido descanso para este noble guerrero, que hoy se reúne con sus heroicos hermanos combatientes de Malvinas: los A-4B, A-4C y A-4Q.… pic.twitter.com/G03UVWJceL
— Fuerzas Armadas Argentinas 🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷 (@FAArgentinas) Could 15, 2026
The lengthy awaited arrival of Argentina’s first batch of ex-Royal Danish Air Pressure F-16 Combating Falcons in December 2025 appeared to lastly seal the A-4’s destiny. Argentina has been angling for a extra trendy fight plane for effectively over a decade. An try to order Saab Gripens was thwarted as a result of UK’s expertise veto over the plane, whereas differing political dynamics ultimately dominated out Chinese language alternate options. An apparently stable deal for the KAI F-50 fell by means of as a result of price range pressures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ultimately, as surplus F-16s grew to become accessible from European nations, Argentina was in a position to negotiate a deal by means of the U.S. for a few of these plane. Secret talks apparently occurred between the U.S. and UK, the place the previous pressured for the UK to not object to the deal. Whereas Argentina’s nonetheless energetic dispute over the Falkland Islands – administered by the UK – continues, the larger geopolitical concern was feared in pushing the South American nation into China’s sphere of affect by denying defence exports.
The one remaining army operator of the A-4 is now the Brazilian Navy, who proceed to function a handful of jets even after the retirement of plane provider São Paulo. Civilian operators proceed to fly the Skyhawk in an aggressor position, with plane energetic on each the U.S. and Canadian civilian registers.
KC-135s?
To assist its new fleet of F-16s, which require boom-equipped tankers, Argentina is reported to be searching for the acquisition of used KC-135 Stratotankers.
Two plane are apparently desired for the Fuerza Aérea Argentina, with the probably donor being the U.S. Air Pressure. Nevertheless, the extraordinary stress on USAF tanker forces proven by current operations in addition to the lack of a number of plane within the fleet increase questions over whether or not such a switch can be authorised.
Another choice could be to take after India, who’ve contracted a privately owned KC-135 to supplant its troubled Il-78MKI Midas tankers throughout coaching operations. Nevertheless, such a contract would nearly definitely permit just for coaching operations and never for assist throughout stay fight missions, which locations limitations when Argentina has no various – even a problematic one – to fall again on.
Boosting their new F-16s’ vary with KC-135s can be doubtless to attract opposition from the UK, because the Falkland Islands can be introduced inside vary of serious Argentinian air energy as soon as once more. The islands are at present defended from the air by a detachment of 4 Eurofighter Hurricane FGR4s together with a Sky Sabre battery.
An aesthetic view of “Religion”, a Eurofighter Hurricane from RAF’s well-known 1435 Flight primarily based at Mount Nice, #Falklands. 1435 Flight operates 4 Typhoons, named “Hope”, “Religion”, “Charity” and “Desperation”- in the very best of Maltese custom of #WWII. #avgeeks #aviation #RAF pic.twitter.com/JtWGKPMqJm
— Air Energy (@RealAirPower1) February 1, 2022
Argentine A-4s within the Falklands Struggle
Although the precise jets that took half have lengthy since been retired, the 1982 Falklands Struggle is arguably probably the most well-known interval for Argentina’s A-4s. Together with Dassault-Breguet Tremendous Étendard and IAI Dagger, A-4 Skyhawks have been employed to the very fringe of their vary capabilities to assault British forces with a devastating impact.
Skyhawks scored hits with unguided bombs on HMS Glasgow, HMS Antelope, HMS Ardent, HMS Argonaut, HMS Broadsword, HMS Coventry, RFA Sir Bedivere, RFA Sir Galahad, and RFA Sir Tristram. Of those, HMS Coventry and HMS Ardent have been completely destroyed, whereas RFA Sir Galahad was severely broken and ultimately scuttled. Additional assaults occurred towards British floor forces.
#OTD in 1982 the Royal Navy misplaced its final warship to enemy motion when HMS Coventry was hit by bombs off the Falklands, killing 20 souls. Coventry had already accounted for at the very least 2 enemy jets amidst an all-out effort by Argentine pilots towards the RN on their nationwide day. pic.twitter.com/oU0MLAZ3VB
— Royal Navy (@RoyalNavy) Could 25, 2023
The 231 A-4 sorties flown took a heavy toll, with 22 plane misplaced – the bulk to enemy fireplace, together with air to air shootdowns by Sea Harriers, floor to air missiles fired from Royal Navy vessels, and a few to anti-aircraft gunfire.
