First Argentine Air Force F-16BM spotted ahead of delivery

The first F-16BM fighter jet in flight condition destined for the Argentine Air Force has appeared in images shared on social media, showing the aircraft, registration M-1001, undergoing preparation in Denmark.

Argentina is acquiring a total of 24 second-hand F-16s from Denmark, along with an additional airframe for ground training purposes, which has already been received (M-1210). The initial deliveries are scheduled for December at Área Material Río Cuarto.

The two-seat F-16BM is part of a group of six aircraft – four two-seaters and two single-seaters – currently being overhauled at a Royal Danish Air Force base. These fighters will restore Argentina’s supersonic flight capability, which has been absent since the retirement of the Mirage III fleet in 2015.

The F-16BM is a variant of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, equipped with tandem seats for pilot training and operational flexibility. The acquisition follows years of evaluation by the Argentine government, which considered alternatives such as the Sino-Pakistani JF-17, the Indian HAL Tejas, and the South Korean KAI FA-50.

Argentina’s acquisition of second-hand combat aircraft contrasts with its South American neighbors, which have invested in new fighters with more modern capabilities.

Brazil has led this movement by closing a deal with Saab for 36 Gripen E/F fighters, an aircraft also recently selected by Colombia.

Peru is also evaluating both the Gripen and the F-16 Block 70, for which it has already secured authorization from the Swedish and US governments.

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Ricardo Meier

Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.

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