Argentina plans to operate 24 of the aircraft in total, which it bought secondhand from Denmark at a relatively affordable $300 million.

A second batch of six US-made F-16 Fighting Falcons flew south last month, doubling Argentina’s fleet of the secondhand fourth-generation aircraft. Argentine Defense Minister Carlos Presti welcomed the warbirds, which landed at the Río Cuarto Air Base after they completed a 7,000-mile (11,265 km) flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

“When the first aircraft arrived, we received platforms; today we are building a capability,” Presti said. “A weapons system only reaches its full value when it is backed by doctrine, infrastructure, support, training, and an organization prepared to harness its potential.”

The Argentine Ministry of Defense confirmed the arrival of the aircraft, writing in a media statement that Argentina had “become great” through the growing strength of the armed forces.

In total, Denmark has now delivered 12 of a planned 24 F-16 fighter jets to Argentina, following the purchase agreement the two nations negotiated in April 2024. The remaining dozen F-16s are expected to make the transatlantic flight from Denmark to Argentina by the end of 2027.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon’s Specifications

• Year Introduced: 1978
• Number Built: 4,600+
• Length: 47 ft 8 in (14.52 m)
• Wingspan: 31 ft (9.45 m)
• Weight (MTOW): 37,500 lbs (16,875 kg)
• Engine(s): One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 afterburning turbofan (23,000 lbf thrust static sea level)
• Top Speed: 1,319 mph (2,122 km/h) / Mach 1.73
• Range: 1,260 mi (2,027 km)
• Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
• Loadout: One General Electric M61A1 20mm six-barrel cannon; up to 15,200 lbs on nine hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles (AIM-9 Sidewinder on wingtip rails; alternatives include the MATRA Magic 2 or Rafael Python 3)
• Aircrew: 1 (F-16A) or 2 (F-16B)

Argentina Secured a Fourth-Gen Air Arsenal on the Cheap

As part of the $300 million fighter jet deal, Argentina will receive 24 F-16AM/BM single-engine multirole aircraft, along with four advanced flight simulators, eight spare engines, and approximately five years of spare parts. This works out to around $12.5 million per jet—far lower than the cost of a new F-16, at around $60–80 million.

Prior to the sale, the aircraft had received a mid-life upgrade (MLU), which included modernized cockpits and avionics comparable to the F-16C/D Block 52 standards, installation of the AN/APG-66(V)2 radar and modular mission computers, and the integration of long-range AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and precision-guided munitions capabilities.

Do Fly for Me, Argentina

The F-16 acquisition is one of the largest arms deals for Argentina in decades, and part of a larger effort to modernize its air force, which has been underfunded for years. Despite its low initial price tag, the total cost of the program, including weapon systems, munitions, and infrastructure upgrades to support the fourth-generation fighters, could reach up to $900 million.

The current modernization aligns with a wider national rearmament strategy emphasizing US and Western interoperability, moving away from older equipment and shelving alternative proposals.

The secondhand F-16 Fighting Falcons should significantly enhance the capabilities of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina. The Denmark-Argentina deal, which had the blessing of Washington, ensured that the South American country wouldn’t explore alternative options from China or Russia—notably the Chinese-Pakistani JF-17 Thunder or Russian Su-24 Fencer.

To nudge Buenos Aires towards the F-16s from Denmark, Washington also contributed $40 million in Foreign Military Financing. In the long run, US companies are expected to benefit from Argentina’s operation of the F-16, as flying American-made aircraft better integrates Buenos Aires into American supply chains. 

Argentina’s First F-16s Arrived Last December

An initial batch of six F-16s arrived in the South American country at the end of 2025. Four two-seat F-16BMs and two single-seat F-16AMs departed from Denmark on November 28. The small flock of fighter jets flew to Zaragoza, Spain, for refueling and flight checks; to Gran Canaria, the largest of the Canary Islands; and finally to Brazil, across the Atlantic. As the F-16s have a shorter ferry range than the breadth of the Atlantic, the United States Air Force provided a KC-135 tanker to refuel them during this leg of the trip.

President Javier Milei of Argentina officially accepted delivery of the aircraft at the Río Cuarto Air Base in Córdoba Province.

With the arrival last year, Argentina became the latest nation to join a not-so-exclusive club of operators of the famed Fighting Falcon. There are approximately 3,000 operational F-16s in service today with more than 25 countries—a testament to what is easily the most successful, combat-proven multirole jet fighter ever produced.  

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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