One of the many projects included in the 2024 Budget contemplates the modernization and technological update of the Argentine Air Force (FAA) Infrastructure for the incorporation of multirole combat aircrafts. According to the details in the Annex of Contratación de Obras de Inversión con Incidencia en Ejercicios Futuros (Investment Construction with Incidence on Future Exercises), the work must be carried out at the VI Air Brigade and the Rio Cuarto Material Area.
Although the investment to adapt the Air Force infrastructure had been considered on other occasions, it is the first time that a project included in the Budget Law determines the units that will receive the investment for their upgrade and modernization with the aim of hosting and serving as a maintenance center for the future Argentine multirole combat aircraft, as will be the case in Tandil and Las Higueras, respectively.
With the potential purchase of the Danish F-16 A/B MLU gaining exposure day by day, it is worth remembering that the VI Air Brigade and the Rio Cuarto Material Area were among the units visited by a technical delegation of F-16 personnel from the U.S. Air Force, Denmark, and Lockheed Martin. This visit took place in the early days of February 2023 and aimed to evaluate the local conditions for the Fighting Falcon.
The investment in the FAA bases located in Tandil and Las Higueras is a natural process when incorporating a weapons system of the caliber of the F-16, so the re-adaptation of facilities in the VI Air Brigade and the Rio Cuarto Material Area is mandatory, as these have gone several decades without major works.
While the works to be carried out in the VI Air Brigade will be aimed at providing all the facilities to ensure the operation of at least 24 F-16A/B MLU, the Rio Cuarto Material Area will likely concentrate the investment in infrastructure to accommodate the maintenance capacity of the new multirole combat aircraft of the Air Force, thus maintaining its title as the leading unit in the field.
With a growing anticipation for project details, it is necessary to remember that sources close to the Defense Ministry and the Air Force previously expressed to Zona Militar that the intention is to finalize the purchase of the Danish F-16s during the first semester of the current year. Facing a highly critical socio-economic situation, the administration of President Milei will likely continue negotiations with the U.S. and Denmark to obtain the best financing conditions for both the aircraft and the various packages included in the proposal and project.
Learning from previous experiences, it is necessary for the acquisition of the future multirole combat aircraft of the Air Force to consider the weapons system as a whole and not settle for a temporary solution to be completed in the medium term. As mentioned, this not only includes aircraft, weaponry, logistical package, training, and personnel formation but also involves the infrastructure that will house them and provide facilities for their operation and maintenance.
Cover image: Flyvevåbnet
You may also like: Iranian ballistic missile threat: Analyzing the strategic Use of anti-ship mallistic missiles and electro-optical homing systems
