“Top Aces,” a private flight company in Arizona, has secured a two-year, $33 million contract to train Argentine pilots on the Fighting Falcon.
NATO member Denmark sold 24 of its F-16 Fighting Falcon single-engine combat aircraft to Argentina, with six fighters arriving last December. Proceeds from the sale are being directed to aid in Ukraine’s war effort. In addition to the aircraft, Argentina will receive training, logistical support, and simulators under the nearly $300 million deal, with the United States serving as a facilitator.
Some of the flight training will be provided by Top Aces Corp., a Mesa, Arizona-based aerospace company, according to Flight Global. Top Aces, the only commercial owner and operator of the Fighting Falcon fighter jet, was selected to train the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (Argentine Air Force) based on its “deep operational and technical expertise with the F-16 platform.”
The United States Air Force’s 338th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron (ESS) was named as the contracting authority, and the training program will be managed by the US Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron (AFSAT).
“As the aircraft are delivered, Top Aces’ training program will ensure Argentine pilots are prepared to rapidly and safely transition to frontline F-16 operations,” Top Aces announced.
The US Department of State had approved the transfer of the Danish F-16s to Argentina. In addition, as part of a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) package, Washington has supported the sale of AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles, bombs, communications, and Link-16 support equipment, spare parts, software, training devices, and personnel training. That sale will support and equip Argentina’s growing fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons.
American F-16 Trainers Are Flying Down South
F-16 pilot training will be conducted domestically in the Latin American country at FAA air bases using second-hand F-16 Block 10/15 fighters acquired from the Kingdom of Denmark, according to Top Aces. It will include a “full spectrum” of flight training, including a Basic Course (B-course) on the F-16 to provide initial qualification. It will continue through to “Mission Qualification Training, Flight Lead Upgrade, and Instructor Pilot Upgrade.”
The $33.2 million contract covers two years of comprehensive pilot training, including academic classroom instruction, training on aircraft simulators, and live-fly training in the two-seater and single-seat F-16s. A third-year extension to the program is also being offered, to be determined by Buenos Aires.
“Top Aces is honored to be selected by the FAA to develop this advanced airpower capability,” said Steve Haase, US Group president at Top Aces. “Our instructor pilots bring extensive US Air Force backgrounds, each with more than 20 years of service and an average of over 2,300 flight hours in the F-16. Having built a fully operational F-16 enterprise from the ground up, Top Aces is uniquely positioned to train the next generation of Argentine combat leaders on their new and highly capable F-16 platform.”
The selection of Top Aces will allow the training to differ from that of other F-16 operators, in which countries acquiring the multirole fighter send their pilots to the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162 Wing in Tucson, which serves as the main international F-16 training academy. Other key training sites include Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, and the newly constructed European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) in Romania.
Denmark had also set up a Fighting Falcon training center at the Skrydstrup military base, which trains Ukrainian pilots on the F-16. Instead of sending its pilots to those facilities, Top Aces is sending the trainers to South America.
“Following Argentina’s acquisition of the F-16, Top Aces’ ability to deliver high-quality, in-country training rapidly was a key factor in this award,” said Patrick “Mongo” McClelland, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program manager at Top Aces. “By deploying our experienced instructors directly to Argentina, we provide seamless training from basic through instructor levels – optimizing student proficiency and progression to efficiently deliver a cost-effective, operationally-relevant solution that directly supports Argentina’s national defense objectives.”
The F-16 Fighting Falcon’s Specifications
- Year Introduced: 1978
- Number Built: 4,600+ (production ongoing)
- Length: 47 ft 8 in (14.52 m)
- Wingspan: 31 ft (9.45 m)
- Weight (MTOW): 37,500 lbs (16,875 kg)
- Engine: One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 afterburning turbofan (23,000 lbf thrust static sea level)
- Top Speed: 1,319 mph (2,122 km/h) / Mach 1.73
- Range: 1,260 mi (2,027 km)
- Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
- Loadout: One (1) General Electric M61A1 20mm six-barrel cannon; up to 15,200 lbs on nine hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles (AIM-9 Sidewinder on wingtip rails; alternatives include the MATRA Magic 2 or Rafael Python 3)
- Aircrew: 1 (F-16A) or 2 (F-16B)
There are approximately 3,000 operational F-16s in service today in more than 25 countries—a testament to what is easily the world’s most successful, combat-proven multirole fighter jet ever produced.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
