A second group of six F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets acquired by Argentina has begun its journey from Denmark to South America, nearly two years after the country selected the type to rebuild a supersonic combat capability lost more than a decade ago.
The aircraft departed Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark on Tuesday, September 22, stopping at Zaragoza in Spain before continuing to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. They are expected to cross the Atlantic with aerial refueling support before eventually reaching Área Material Río Cuarto in central Argentina.
Argentina is acquiring 24 former Royal Danish Air Force F-16s under an agreement signed in 2024. The first six aircraft arrived in Argentina in December 2025, meaning completion of the current ferry flight will bring the number delivered to 12.
Four single-seat and two twin-seat F-16s
The second group comprises four single-seat F-16AMs and two twin-seat F-16BMs. The aircraft have been identified as M-1011, M-1013, M-1018 and M-1024, together with twin-seat M-1001 and M-1002.
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Images released by Argentine Defense Minister Carlos Presti and videos published by the country's Defense Ministry show the aircraft during preparations and the initial stages of the ferry flight. M-1001, M-1011 and M-1024 can be identified in the footage.
Argentina's acquisition covers 16 single-seat F-16AMs and eight twin-seat F-16BMs formerly operated by Denmark. The aircraft are being transferred after preparation for Argentine service following Denmark's transition from the F-16 to the Lockheed Martin F-35A.
For Argentina, the acquisition restores a capability absent since the retirement of its Mirage III-family fighters in 2015. The F-16s will ultimately operate with the Argentine Air Force's VI Air Brigade at Tandil, while Río Cuarto is being used for the reception and initial processing of the aircraft arriving from Europe.
Support aircraft reveals ferry route
The fighters themselves are generally not visible on public flight-tracking services, but an Argentine Air Force Boeing 737-700 accompanying the operation provides a clear indication of the route being used.
AirNav Radar data shows the T-99 "Islas Malvinas" departed El Palomar, Argentina, on September 16 and flew to Natal in northeastern Brazil. It continued from Natal to Gran Canaria the same day before flying to Vojens, near Skrydstrup, on September 17.
The 737 began retracing that route on September 22. Operating under callsign FAG062, it departed Vojens at 08:59 local time and reached Zaragoza at 11:16. It left Zaragoza at 15:14 and landed at Gran Canaria at 16:59 after a 2h45 flight.
The support aircraft's outbound journey points to Natal as the likely first South American stop after the transatlantic crossing. The distance between the Canary Islands and northeastern Brazil requires aerial refueling for the F-16s, with US Air Force KC-135 tankers supporting the ferry operation.
Argentina agreed to acquire the 24 used fighters from Denmark in 2024 in a deal valued at approximately US$300 million. The transfer gave the South American country its first F-16 fleet and made it the latest operator of a fighter family that remains in service with more than two dozen air forces worldwide.
