Argentine Air Force receives first F-16s, last Bell 407s
The first six Lockheed Martin F-16A/B Block 15 Fighting Falcons arrived at the FAA's Rio IV Material Area on 5 December 2025. (Santiago Rivas)
In the first week of December the Argentine Air Force (FAA) received its first batch of F-16 fighter aircraft as well as the last helicopters from a batch of Bell 407s as part of the service's re-equipping effort.
On 5 December the FAA's first six Lockheed Martin F-16A/B Block 15 Fighting Falcons arrived at the service's Rio IV Material Area, after having left the Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark and making stopovers at the Zaragoza Air Base and Gando (Canary Islands) in Spain and the Natal Air Force Base in Brazil.
The delivery includes four two-seater and two single-seater aircraft, which flew from Gando accompanied by three US Air Force (USAF) Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers, in addition to support from an FAA Boeing 737-700 and a KC-130H Hercules.
On 6 December the FAA held an official ceremony incorporating the service's 6th Fighter Group, with President Javier Milei, Defence Minister Luis Petri, and commander of the FAA Brigadier Gustavo Valverde in attendance.
A second batch of six aircraft is to be added by the end of 2026 and followed by similar batches of six aircraft in 2027 and 2028, for a total of 24.
According to Brig Valverde, the 6th Fighter Group in 2026 will be dedicated to training pilots and technicians, and will operate from Río IV workshops until construction on the FAA's base in Tandil is finished – this work includes reconstruction of the runway and tarmac, new shelters and buildings for simulators, briefing rooms, a training centre, and other facilities.
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