Argentina Receives First Six F-16 Jets in Landmark Modernization Deal

Argentina Receives First Six F-16 Fighter Jets

Argentina's President Javier Milei on Saturday welcomed the arrival of the country's first six F-16 fighter jets, acquired from Denmark as part of a 24-aircraft purchase. He described the jets as "guardian angels" that will bolster Argentina's air capabilities and called the acquisition the most significant military purchase in decades.

The U.S.-built F-16s are the first tranche of a larger deal of 24 modernized supersonic fighters bought from Copenhagen last year for roughly $300 million. The aircraft landed at a military base in Rio Cuarto, about 600 kilometres (373 miles) west of Buenos Aires, after flying low over the capital earlier in the day.

"After a long wait, I finally have behind me the first six F-16 fighter jets," Milei said on the tarmac, adding that the investment will "considerably strengthen our air force."

Following a short ceremony, Milei boarded one of the jets and was photographed smiling in the cockpit alongside his sister, Karina Milei, who is general secretary of the presidency, and Defence Minister Luis Petri. The public display was framed as a sign of the new capability being visible to Argentines across the country.

When the purchase was announced in April 2024, Argentina's defence ministry said the modernized Danish F-16s would form "the backbone of Argentina's air defence system." The fighters will replace the French Mirage jets that were retired in 2017 after roughly four decades of service.

The transfer was approved by the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires said the acquisition "marks a major step in the country's efforts to modernize its air capabilities and deepen defense cooperation with the United States." Officials indicate this delivery is the first of four batches, with six additional aircraft scheduled to be delivered each December through 2028.

What This Means

The arrival ushers in a rapid modernization of Argentina's air fleet, restoring a supersonic fighter capability last seen before the Mirage retirement. It also signals deeper defense ties with NATO suppliers and the United States, while prompting debate at home about costs, training and long-term maintenance of the new fleet.