Updated to Tuesday 16.4.2024 11:51hs
The Minister of Defense of the Nation, Luis Petri, signed the agreement with Denmark for the purchase of a total of 24 Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft developed by the United States.
Petri replaced President Javier Milei, who returned to Argentina to head the Crisis Committee after Iran’s attack on Israel. The official did not board the ship as co-pilot.
“From today, Argentines, we once again have forces from heaven to protect us,” highlighted Luis Petri.
The confirmation was given through the Danish Ministry of Defense, which highlighted the strengthening of “defense cooperation between Denmark and Argentina, while Argentina becomes part of the global F-16 family,” highlighting the role of the United States. as an intermediary.
Beyond the mandatory nature of the permit, in this case the strengthening of relations with Washington is key in the face of the historic obstacle of the British veto on the sale of any military equipment to Argentina.
The formal meeting between Petri and his Danish counterpart, Troels Lund Poulsen, took place at Skrydstrup airport, where the local official declared: “I am very happy that the Danish F-16 aircraft, which have served us well throughout years and have been meticulously maintained and technologically updated, are now used in the Argentine Air Force.”
Another relevant aspect, corresponding mostly to the agenda of the Scandinavian country, is the fact that the sale occurs within the framework of a renewal of the Danish fleet, which will be reinforced with the F-35.
The contract this Tuesday in Southern Denmark commits the national government to a payment of 300 million dollars for the ships to the European country and another 300 million dollars to the United States for weapons that have AMRAAM missiles and the AIM-9M Sidewinder .
With a first payment of 40 million dollars this 2024, from the Defense budget, Argentina will receive the school unit and then six units will arrive per year.
The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon of the Danish Air Force. Credit: Danish Ministry of Defense This purchase was approved by Decree 315/2024 published this April 16 in the Official Gazette, with the signatures of Milei; Nicolás Posse, Chief of Staff, and Luis Caputo, Minister of Economy of the Nation.
Video of the official announcement of Milei and Petri
Argentina revives an agreement with Norway
Northern Europe is where Argentina focuses on reviving its Armed Forces, which since 2016 did not have active fighters.
In what is possibly one of the few foreign state policies that are sustained by a change of government in recent decades, the libertarian administration will carry out another of the negotiations initiated by the Alberto era: the purchase of four P-planes. 3 Orion from Norway.
Illustrative image. Lockheed P-3 Orion.It should be remembered that negotiations with Denmark had begun in October 2023, after Argentina opted for the American F-16s manufactured by General Dynamics and Lockheed/Lockheed Martin, over the Pakistani JF-17s offered by China.
In the case of the Norwegian ships, after the ministry headed by Jorge Taiana did not pay the 10 million dollars on December 5, as confirmed by Petri himself.
The announcement of the purchase of Norwegian aircraft in October 2023 with Taiana at the helm. Credit: Ministry of Defense “They never paid, the contract fell apart and they had not negotiated with the United States the validation of the radar cards, which had the British veto,” said the minister about one of the main walls that the country has in this field.
This point is decisive when dealing with aircraft intended for maritime surveillance in the South Atlantic, at the entrance to the Exclusive Economic Zone. For this task they require radar cards, otherwise “they become passenger planes,” Petri assured.
