The Argentine Air Force prepares the arrival of its first F-16B fighter: it will be presented in the coming weeks

The Argentine Air Force (FAA) is moving forward with the incorporation of the F-16B MLU Block 10 fighter, a strategic project that involves technicians from the FAA and the Royal Danish Air Force (RFAD) working in Denmark to bring the first Fighting Falcon to Argentina.

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Since October 26, 2024, a technical team from the Dirección de Abastecimiento de Material (DAM) of the Dirección General de Material (DGM) of the Argentine Air Force, together with personnel from the F-16M Program, has been at the Defense Maintenance Service (Forsvarets Vedligeholdelses Tjeneste – FVT), a maintenance unit of the Royal Danish Air Force (RFAD), in Aalborg, Denmark.

 

According to the FAA, this team’s mission is to prepare the F-16B MLU Block 10 training aircraft and consolidate the logistic equipment destined for the future ‘Instruction and Improvement Center’ at the VI Air Brigade, whose works will start shortly.

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The tasks include the identification of the goods to be transported, specified in the contract signed on April 16 between the Argentine Ministry of Defense and the Danish Defense Logistics Acquisition Organization (DALO). Once the cataloguing is completed, the cargo will be packed in containers, and then the necessary documents will be prepared to comply with the import administrative procedures.

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

Currently, the preparation of the containers, which make up the package of elements that will be destined to the training center, and which will be used for the preparation and training of future technical specialist personnel, has been completed.

After completing the loading, the first document transferring the materials to the Argentine Air Force was signed, marking a historic milestone for the institution. The entire cargo was then transported by truck from Aalborg to the port of Aarhus, where Argentine personnel coordinated its delivery to the shipping company for loading and sea transport to Buenos Aires.

The reason for all this careful monitoring is that the contract signed with the Kingdom of Denmark was classified as “Military Secret” through decree 370/24, requiring the adoption of special security measures regarding the handling of the material involved.

On the other hand, in the next few days the F-16B MLU Block 10 training aircraft will be disassembled and transported in two Hercules KC/C-130H aircraft of the Argentine Air Force to its final destination at the VI Air Brigade. This operation requires the preparation of special equipment to “secure the fuselage of the aircraft” as well as for the transfer of the wings, vertical stabilizer and engine.

When the aircraft arrives at the VI Air Brigade, it will be unloaded and assembled, a joint task between the Royal Danish Air Force (RFAD) and Argentine technicians. This process will require special tools, which will be sent to Argentina in containers transported by sea.

The Argentine Air Force reports that the aircraft is expected to be presented to the authorities in the coming weeks, representing the result of long years of work by the institution to incorporate a new supersonic fighter. The first F-16 fighter will soon be flying the colors of the Argentine Republic in its new home.