Argentina

Introduction

The Argentinean Air Force had been looking for a replacement of its old Mirage III/5 intercept and attack aircraft for some time. Plans were made up in the early 2000's, but were always abandoned due to either financial difficulties or embargoes by mainly the UK. With the phase out of the Mirage fleet in 2017, the Argentinian Air Force was deprived of any fighter.

This situation created an opening for China, which proposed its single-engine JF-17 fighters—a joint venture between China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation and Pakistan’s Aeronautical Complex. Concerned about the influence of China, in 2022 the US began facilitating a deal for used F-16s. Meanwhile, a 2018 policy shift in London allowed the sale of weapons to Argentina deemed “not detrimental to the UK’s defence and security interests,”

Inventory

Peace Condor

In March of 2024 the Argentinian government eventually settled for the delivery of up to 24 second-hand Danish F-16s. The order was split between 16 A-models and 8 B-models together with a number of older airframes who are acting as training aids and spare parts source.

Since Denmark is in process of replacing these F-16s with the new F-35, these airframes bcame available. The first aircraft are foreseen to be delivered by the end of 2025 with the remainder being due by the end of 2026. Together with this order a weapons package has been added in which the US will deliver 36 AIM-120 C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), 102 MK-82 500 pound general purpose bombs, 50 GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs and assorted other ordnance for an estimate $941 million. Additional elements include mission planning systems, cryptographic devices, ground support for Link-16, communication security (COMSEC) systems, avionics support, and essential spare parts. Argentina will also receive training equipment, documentation, classified and unclassified software, and personnel training to integrate the F-16s seamlessly into the Argentinian Air Force.

FAA Inventory

Program	Model	Block	Qty.	Serials	Delivered
Peace Condor	F-16AM	block 20	16	M-1009/M-1024	2025-2026
	F-16BM	Block 20	8	M-1001/M-1008	2025-2026

Operational Service