United States will train Argentine pilots so they can fly F-16s

The Government of Javier Milei signed a multimillion-dollar contract with a United States company to train and instruct in Argentine territory pilots who can be in command of F-16 fighter jets acquired from Denmark, in order to guarantee their full operability in the country.

According to the United States Department of Defense in its official "contracts" section, the agreement establishes that Argentina will pay a little more than 33 million dollars to the firm Top Aces Corp., based in Mesa, Arizona. The document specifies that these are "military sales to Argentina" and specifies that the training will be carried out in the country.

The announcement also specifies that the work will have an estimated duration of two and a half years, with a completion date scheduled for June 30, 2029. During the course of this year, Argentina will make an initial disbursement of USD 22,754,462, in accordance with what is stated in the official communication.

"This contract provides for the training of F-16 instructor pilots, which allows pilots from partner countries to achieve an independent operational capability outside the continental territory of the U.S.", states the message released by the United States authorities, emphasizing the strategic scope of the initiative.

The acquisition of the F-16s from Denmark by Milei's administration represented a historic achievement for national defense. The operation included 24 F-16 A/B Block 15 MLU aircraft, upgraded to the "Tape 6.5" standard: 16 single-seat and eight two-seat aircraft intended for training.

In addition to the aircraft, the agreement included weaponry, support equipment, four flight simulators, eight engines, state-of-the-art helmets, and spare parts for a period of five years. The delivery scheme provides for the gradual incorporation of four aircraft per year.

The arrival of the first F16s in the country

In the first shipment, six units arrived: four two-seat F-16BMs (registrations M1004/05/07/08) and two single-seat F-16AMs (registrations M1009 and M1020). These aircraft have logistical support from a Boeing 737 T-99 "Islas Malvinas" and a KC-130H TC-69, intended for search and rescue missions.

The initial transfer began on November 28 from Vojens, Denmark. The route included stopovers at Zaragoza Air Base in Spain and Gando Air Base in the Canary Islands. From there, the fighters crossed the Atlantic toward Natal, in northern Brazil, with support from KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft from the United States Air Force, until they finally arrived in Argentina.

VI Air Brigade in Tandil was designated as the headquarters for the training and instruction of pilots and technicians. At that site, the F-16 Tactical Simulation Center was inaugurated, and construction is progressing on the Technical Training Center, key infrastructure to sustain the operation and maintenance of each aircraft, which requires a specialized multidisciplinary team.

On December 4, the six F-16s already incorporated flew over the City of Buenos Aires, where they demonstrated their supersonic capability before thousands of people who witnessed for the first time the flight of these aircraft in the Buenos Aires sky, marking a new chapter in the modernization of Argentine defense.