MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Defense Minister signs letter of intent to buy Danish F-16s

With the F-16s, Argentina's military forces and systems will be technically in line with those of the United States

Defense Minister Luis Petri of Argentina and Troels Lund Poulsen of Denmark Tuesday signed a letter of intent in Buenos Aires whereby the South American country will purchase 24 second-hand US-built supersonic Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets for some US$ 300 million. US Ambassador Marc Stanley was also present at the ceremony as a token of Washington's acquiescence to the operation

“We received the visit of the Danish Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, with whom we signed a letter of intent for the acquisition of the F-16 aircraft and support equipment. We are laying the groundwork for cooperation in the defense area between Denmark, the US, and Argentina,” Petri wrote on X.

The final contract will be signed next month in Copenhagen when Petri travels to the European country. Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo was also reported to have greenlighted the expenditure, according to Buenos Aires media. “Part of the financing will be provided by the US which, as Clarín has already mentioned, will also supply the weapons system,” Clarín said.

“The Danish defense is engaged in a generational change process, in which our F-16 aircraft are being phased out in favor of the new F-35″ fighters, Lund Poulsen said in a statement.

”Denmark is donating 19 F-16s to Ukraine, and the Danish government has decided to sell 24 Danish F-16 fighters to Argentina. I am therefore very pleased that we have today signed a joint statement of intent to complete the sale,” he added.

The transaction involving these aircraft for the Argentine Air Force ends all previous talks with India, and particularly with China, whose JF-17 model was also a likely option.

The negotiations were undertaken by the current Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Xavier Isaac, who headed the Air Force under former President Alberto Fernández.

With this choice by the Libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, Argentina's military forces and systems will be technically in line with those of the United States. Had Argentina opted for the JF-17s, Buenos Aires would have lost security and defense cooperation agreements with Washington.

According to Clarín, the contract with Denmark and the United States was discussed by Petri last Monday with British Ambassador Kirsty Hayes, given the UK's military embargo on Argentina following the 1982 South Atlantic war. The F-16s are said not to have any UK-made components. In addition to the aircraft, the sale includes engines, spare parts, simulators, and training equipment.

In 2017 Argentina phased out the French-built Dassault Mirage after four decades of service.