Argentine Air Force F-16: U.S. approves purchase of AMRAAM missiles and guided bombs for US$ 941 million

The U.S. State Department approved a potential foreign military sale (FMS) to the Government of Argentina, which includes equipment, armament and support for F-16 fighter aircraft purchased second-hand from the Kingdom of Denmark, for an estimated value of $941 million.

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The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) briefed Congress on this potential deal, which includes the following major items:

• 36 AIM-120 C-8 AMRAAM medium range air-to-air missiles;
• 2 guidance sections for AIM-120 C-8 AMRAAM missiles;
• 102 MK-82 500 lb. general purpose bombs;
• 50 MXU-650 fin kits for GBU-12 Paveway II 500-pound laser-guided bombs;
• 102 FMU-152A/B joint programmable fuzes with FZU-63A/B fuzing systems;
• 50 MAU-169L/B control groups.

Other equipment and services are also included, such as:

• Weapons and explosives support equipment;
• AN/ARC-238 radios;
• Joint Mission Planning Systems (JMPS);
• Ground Support System (GSS) for Link-16;
• KY-58M and KIV-78 cryptographic devices, and AN/PYQ-10 key loaders (SKL);
• Training items for explosive ordnance disposal, avionics and precision navigation;
• Spare parts, consumables, software and technical documentation, as well as maintenance and repair;
• Transportation, training and aerial refueling services.

If completed, this acquisition will represent a fundamental qualitative leap for the Argentine Air Force, providing it with essential combat capabilities that, although already present in the region, were previously inaccessible. These include air-to-air combat beyond visual range (BVR), the use of precision air-to-ground guided weapons and the networked combat possibilities offered by the Link-16 system.

It is positive to see that the mistakes made with the A-4AR Fighting Hawk weapon system, which, although it had advanced and effective electronics at the time, was never able to take full advantage of its capabilities due to the lack of modern guided weaponry, are not being repeated.

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