The Argentine Air Force’s six F-16AM/BM aircraft arrived at Zaragoza Air Base after taking off from Skrydstrup, the Danish airfield where the Royal Danish Air Force is completing its transition from the Fighting Falcon to the F-35A. There the M-1004, M-1005, M-1007, M-1008, M-1009 and M-1020 landed in a sequence not normally seen in Western Hemisphere transport operations, according to European military transit control sources.
The stop in Aragon revealed an unexpected detail: the integration of A USAF KC-135R Coming from the Azores. The support absent in the initial Argentine statement coincides with the pattern described by the Argentine statement Congressional Research Service (CRS, 2024) On the trend towards enhancing sensitive deliveries through “multinational logistics coverage to reduce the risk of fatigue and abnormal consumption”.
Why does a stop in Zaragoza change the charge for the Argentine ferry?
A long way to go with less fuel margins
| Parameter | He deserves |
|---|---|
| Autonomy phrase | 3,000–3,200 km with external tanks (F-16 MLU) |
| Operational route | Skridstrup – Zaragoza – Gando – Natal – Argentina |
The choice of Zaragoza does not merely respond to convenience or quick review: it offers a key window to adjust consumption. The technicians The Pentagon advised in 2023 They describe these sections as “sensitive to winds at altitudes when pilots do not yet belong to the receiving air force.” Shown here are the hidden data discovered by allied sources: The jump to the Canary Islands was synchronized with a Early regeneration slot To absorb any thermal or wind anomalies in the Atlantic corridor.
Weather window and Gando factor
- The Zaragoza-Gando section requires reservations between 8% and 12% of additional fuel according to USAF Air Mobility Command tables (2022).
The Leap to Argentina: Base Preparation and Operational Transition
Once at Gando Air Base, the F-16s will complete rest and checks before crossing to Natal, where they will begin the Argentine detention phase before the official ceremony on December 5. From there, the transition will be split between 6th Air Brigade from Tandil and Rio Cuarto Physical Area (ARMACUAR)It is the base that completed the expansion of platforms and hangars in 2025 to accommodate MLU maintenance.
Quoted from a source rand in 2024 They noted that “adopting Western platforms requires stabilizing training centers rather than accumulating flight hours.” Argentina is advancing in this axis with new generation simulators and a technical education center in Tandil to accelerate the adaptation curve.
The 24 F-16s acquired from Denmark represent the Argentine Air Force’s deepest jump in two decades, with a direct impact on South Atlantic surveillance, intercept times and interoperability with Western partners. The Zaragoza stop, with its silent reinforcements, shows that the ferry is not a simple transfer: it is the first real test of the logistics network that will support the fleet in the coming years.