A few minutes ago, the Minister of Defense of Denmark, Troels Lund Poulsen, and the Minister of Defense of Argentina, Luis Alfonso Petri, signed the contract for the acquisition of 24 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets for the Argentine Air Force. The signing of the historic agreement, by which the Argentine Air Force will gain the capability of a multi-role fighter, took place at Skrydstrup Air Base.
Among the Argentine authorities present were the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Brigadier General Xavier Isaac, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Argentine Air Force, Brigadier Major Fernando Mengo. President Milei followed the ceremony virtually, offering a brief thank-you to those involved in the process.
The Danish Minister of Defense expressed during the event, ‘…In Denmark, we are in the process of generational replacement of our fighter aircraft fleet with the new F-35. Therefore, I am very pleased that the Danish F-16 aircraft, which have served us well over the years and have undergone thorough maintenance and technological upgrades, will now benefit the Argentine Air Force. With this agreement, we strengthen Danish-Argentine cooperation in defense, while Argentina becomes part of the global F-16 family…’
The sale of the 24 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, along with a comprehensive package of materials for operating and maintaining the aircraft, was achieved through close coordination with the U.S. Government, which promoted and authorized the sale of U.S.-manufactured F-16 aircraft to Argentina.
According to reports from Danish media, the sale of fighter jets to Argentina amounted to 2.1 billion kroner (approximately USD 300 million). Various local sources informed Zona Militar that the arrival of the F-16s will be accompanied by dozens of containers with materials that will allow the Argentine Air Force to adapt to the new fighter, as well as to ensure its local operation and maintenance.
Several relevant details discussed a few hours ago with Zona Militar indicated that some of the F-16s arriving in Argentina feature the latest updates of their M-Tape. It is also expected that the fighters will be equipped with a complete array of air-to-air and air-to-surface weaponry. Another significant point will be the authorization to carry out a multimillion-dollar investment at Tandil Air Base, aimed at upgrading the infrastructure of the VI Air Brigade.
Troels Lund Poulsen emphasized, ‘…In relation to the agreement, we have had exemplary cooperation with the Argentine Air Force, the Argentine government, and the U.S. government. With this agreement, we also reinforce our defense cooperation with the United States…’
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Cover Image: Minister of Defense.
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