Beyond the technical aspects, the purchase represents a clear alignment with Western defense standards, especially with the United States, by discarding other alternative fighter jets that had been evaluated for years. Our F-16s are already flying high. The Argentine sky awaits them, and the entire country is counting down the minutes. Get ready, because what's coming is historic. A day we will remember forever, when the great Argentina begins to emerge. The official posted on his Instagram account: "The new Argentina feels the need for speed: to take off towards a great future, to fly higher, to defend our sky more than ever." Accompanying the message, the elected official shared a short video of F-16 fighter jets with himself riding on one of them. A preview of the arrival of these combat-ready aircraft, which will land in the country in December. A few days ago, due to this news, Petri paraphrased Tom Cruise in the film "Top Gun" in a social media post. According to official documentation, the package includes single-seat (F-16AM) and two-seat (F-16BM) aircraft—for advanced training—four flight simulators, eight spare engines, guaranteed parts for five years, as well as instruction for pilots and mechanics. The operation was made possible by the prior approval of the sale by the United States government under the framework of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The cost of the deal is estimated at around $300 million for the aircraft, with other versions mentioning up to $650 million when including armament, logistics, and complementary equipment. With the F-16s, Argentina regains the ability to operate supersonic multi-role fighters, something that had not happened since the retirement of modern combat fleets decades ago. An updated version of the famous line said by "Maverick" Mitchell in the film: "I feel the need... the need for speed!". Evidently, the leader's enthusiasm continues with the arrival of the fighter jets in a few weeks. Are you ready?", posted Luis Petri on his X account. The former minister referred to the arrival of the fighter jets that were acquired during his tenure at the Ministry of Defense. Last year, the Argentine government formalized the acquisition of 24 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets from the fleet of the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF). The contract was signed at the Danish Skrydstrup base by Petri, in an event attended by President Javier Milei virtually. Additionally, the system includes not only the aircraft but also simulators, maintenance, spare parts, and personnel training, suggesting a bet not only on operational capability but also on the sustainability of the fleet in the medium term. Likewise, some analysts warn that this is second-hand material, with several years of use, which raises questions about its service life, maintenance costs, and modernization, which already includes a contract with Lockheed Martin for operational support.
