Initially scheduled for Sunday, the event was postponed due to weather conditions and took place at the Las Higueras Air Base, Córdoba, marking a milestone in the modernization of the Argentine Air Force (FAA).
«The F-16s are the new guardians of Argentine airspace.» The main ceremony began after 9 a.m., when President Milei led the air parade and F-16 flight demonstrations, which included high-precision maneuvers and combat simulations.
Official FAA sources indicated that the aircraft, equipped with advanced radar systems and state-of-the-art weaponry, were presented in their full configuration, ready to be integrated into the squadrons of the VI Air Brigade. The choice of Las Higueras as the venue was not accidental: this Córdoba base was key in Argentine aviation history and will serve as a temporary headquarters for the transition of the F-16s to full operations on national soil.
The first six F-16 aircraft acquired by Argentina from Denmark flew over the city of Buenos Aires to be formally presented before returning to Río Cuarto for the official reception ceremony. The aircraft, specialized in close air combat, arrived in the country yesterday and were received by Defense Minister Luis Petri.
Petri led the official reception of these first aircraft, which will be destined for the Area Material Río Cuarto, in Córdoba province. «This arrival symbolizes a strategic milestone that consolidates the recovery of supersonic interception capability and strengthens the defense of national airspace,» the government highlighted in a statement.
President Javier Milei led this Saturday's official presentation ceremony for the six F-16 A/B Fighting Falcon fighter jets, acquired by the Ministry of Defense from the Kingdom of Denmark. «He is a person willing to do the right thing for the Fatherland,» he highlighted.
The ceremony began with the opening of the gates at 7 a.m., allowing public and media access to the air base. «Today we are once again placing the role of the defense of the Fatherland in the place it deserves,» he said. He thanked Defense Minister Luis Petri and described the purchase of the aircraft as a «historic milestone.» He defended the appointment of the new Minister of Defense, Carlos Presti. «From today on, each and every one of us will be a little safer,» he highlighted, attacking previous governments, fundamentally Kirchnerism, by stating: «They had left us defenseless.»
