Argentine Air Force already this autumn may receive second batch of F-16A/B MLU multirole fighters — aircraft should arrive at Río Cuarto airbase (Área Material Río Cuarto), key country air force technical maintenance, repair and logistics center, where they will temporarily be located until VI Aviation Brigade infrastructure modernization completion, which will be home for these aircraft.
Interestingly, as Infodefensa reports — second aircraft batch should arrive ahead of schedule — in September instead of previously planned December. Overall F-16 delivery for Argentina may proceed in more compressed timeline — this despite first combat aircraft, though used machines.
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Overall delivery of 24 fighters Argentina purchased from Denmark should last four years — from 2025 through 2028. However, first batch country received with delay, but further if everything goes to plan, under updated schedule Buenos Aires may receive all F-16s already in 2027.
Publication emphasizes that if Buenos Aires indeed receives second fighter batch ahead of schedule, this may accelerate pilot, technician and support personnel training. Although already in March this year Argentina revealed how much time is needed for F-16 pilot preparation — overall this involves standard course like, for example, in U.S. Air Force.
Worth noting F-16 delivery timelines to Argentina will depend directly on this country itself, how it manages infrastructure development and how fighter integration into military proceeds.
Recall Argentina purchased 24 used F-16 fighters from Denmark at price of only $13 million per aircraft, however subsequently received nearly billion dollar bill for these machine restoration and minimum weapons set.
These aircraft could quite possibly have flown to Ukraine instead of Argentina, however ultimately this did not happen. Although previously it became known U.S. pressed British not to disrupt fighter sale to Buenos Aires — although maximum Britain could do was express public protest. Also recall F-16 sale to Argentina was also agreed with goal of pushing China's Chengdu JF-17 out.
Previously Defense Express reported AIM-120 missiles for Ukrainian F-16s and almost all NATO fighters are beingfurther localized in Europe, so this is chance for Ukraine.
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