This is the first F-16 aircraft of the Argentine Air Force “to defend the peace of all Argentines,” said Luis Petri
The Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, headed the presentation ceremony of the first F-16 aircraft No. 25 for the Argentine Air Force , which took place at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil , province of Buenos Aires.
During his speech, the official emphasized that “another 24 will arrive, to defend the peace and security of all Argentines.” In addition, Petri responded to those who criticize the government's position on military matters and pointed out that “it was they who tried to empty the Armed Forces.”
The F-16 , known for its supersonic capability and versatility in combat, will be the backbone of Argentina's air defense system, replacing the Mirage aircraft that were decommissioned in 2015 after more than 40 years of service.
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The head of the Defense portfolio posted a video on the social network X aboard the first aircraft from Denmark , which will be part of the Land Training Center and will be on the ground to carry out training exercises.
Using this test biplane, the technical personnel of the Armed Forces will be able to carry out maintenance tasks, including scheduled inspections; configuration of weapons, launch systems; management of logistics software; familiarization with the electrical system and avionics, among other procedures.
Minister Petri showed the F-16B MLU Block 10 aircraft, registration M-1210, already assembled and with training armament, which consists of a CATM-120B missile and a TER-9/A (triple ejection rack).
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Through his official Twitter account , Luis Petri stressed that “thanks to the determination of President Javier Milei, we have recovered supersonic capacity.” He then stated: “We have turned a new page on this sad page and we can say that the neglect and apathy have come to an end.”
When will the first 6 operational F-16 aircraft arrive in the country?The 24 aircraft purchased by the Danish government have a range of up to two hours and a top speed of almost 2,500 kilometres per hour greater than the Match 2.
According to the authorities of the Ministry of Defense, Denmark will send the first six units with operational capacity at the end of 2025 and they will be piloted by both Argentine and Danish personnel. The head of the Air Force, Brigadier Gustavo Javier Valverde, specified that "Argentine pilots will come with a team of ten Danes; there is also a part that is being trained in the United States."
Equipped with a 20mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon and the ability to carry a wide variety of weaponry, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, guided bombs and rockets, the F-16 is a versatile platform for a variety of combat missions.
The CATM-120B missile remains fixed to the wing. This means that it is not fired, but it has similar characteristics in weight, size, shape and centre of gravity to the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air bombs.
In addition, its weapons capacity includes a TER-9/A system, which allows a projectile of up to 453 kilograms to be stored in each of its three stations. This mechanism allows pilots to have a variety of actions when carrying out operations: they can choose to fire all three at the same time, in a synchronized manner, or even just one of them.
The units, also known as “Fighting Falcon”, are equipped with multifunction displays in the cockpit, satellite navigation systems and secure communications capabilities.
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