Exactly six months ago, the Government of Argentina signed an agreement to buy 24 American-made F-16 Falcon fighter jets from Denmark.
In this way, the management of Javier Milei made the payment of the acquisition official: there are 16 single-seat aircraft (one seat) and eight two-seat aircraft (two seats) that will be used to train pilots, in addition to components such as weapons and equipment.
Everything will have a total amount of US$301,200,000 that will be paid in five annual installments. The first must be disbursed this year, but will be financed largely by the United States.
According to the resolution published in the Official Government Gazette, the incorporation of these second-hand aircraft into the fleet of the Argentine Air Force is due to the search for a new weapons system with supersonic capacity, since the South American country has a great territorial extension and maritime coastline.
In this way, they will achieve “a National Defense System with immediate reaction capacity and sufficient scope to react to threats that move through aerospace,” according to the document.
At the time, the presidential spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, assured that the F-16s will guarantee control of Argentine airspace and its immediate response to any threat that approaches by air, sea or land.
The Argentine Government estimates that the first of the F-16s will arrive in December of this year. Then, the others will arrive gradually (four per year) until reaching 2028. According to the Air Force, the aircraft will travel piloted, an operation that will include in-flight refueling.
As detailed by the Danish Air Force, the structure of the F16 aircraft that it has sold to Argentina, “is very durable and many of its systems are replaceable”, thus modifying “the weapons and electronic systems.”
LOOK: Dina Boluarte: S/300 MILLION for a presidential plane and the story of the war drums
For his part, Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri pointed out the military aeronautical acquisition as “the most important since 1983” and assured that these are repowered and equipped aircraft for sale.
It is known that the last purchase of combat aircraft in Argentina was in the nineties and was the A4-AR, a third generation system. On the other hand, the Danish F-16 has capabilities and equipment consistent with a fourth generation plus.
This purchase draws attention due to the similar situation that Peru is going through after, as Peru21 announced, the government of Dina Boluarte also wishes to acquire 24 combat aircraft.
The big difference is that, compared to Argentina, Peru wants to disburse US$3.5 billion under the figure of debt. That is, 11 times more than the expenditure that the South American neighbor will make.
EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW?
Citizens have questioned themselves greatly in recent weeks about the need to buy combat aircraft and put the Peruvian State in debt for it.
The Ministry of Defense’s main argument for the acquisition is that “we have to prepare for war if we want to guarantee peace.” However, it was also indicated that the main function of these aircraft will be “deterrence.”
After the revelation of this newspaper, the Congress of the Republic decided to question the Minister of Defense, Walter Astudillo, on October 30 to answer before the Plenary Session a list of 41 questions, related to different topics, but among them the purchase of airplanes.
Regarding the purchases of second-hand aircraft, Andrés Gómez de la Torre, a national defense specialist, mentioned to this newspaper that Peru has already made this type of purchase in 1996 from Belarus due to the extreme needs of the conflict with Ecuador.
“Milei’s government is in a strong process of organizing a very difficult inherited situation. ‘There is no money’ was their slogan. In the context of severe financial limitations, he opted for a palliative option of acquiring those second-hand aircraft,” he stated. Could the Minister of Defense, the Prime Minister and President Boluarte ask Milei for advice?
