Argentina has officially decommissioned its last A-4 Skyhawk strike aircraft, ending their 60-year service in the country's air force. This was reported by Defense Express. The aircraft were retired from the 5th Aviation Brigade on May 14.
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The A-4 Skyhawk became an iconic aircraft for Argentina following the 1982 Falklands War. It was these subsonic attack aircraft, lacking modern defense systems and even operating with faulty ejection seats, that carried out attacks on the British fleet at ultra-low altitudes. During the six weeks of the war, Argentine pilots flew 231 combat sorties, sinking five British ships and damaging six others. In the process, Argentina lost 22 aircraft and 19 pilots.
To replace the A-4, Argentina is receiving F-16s that were previously planned for Ukraine
After the war, the old A-4 modifications were modernized, and in the late 1990s, Argentina received 36 updated A-4AR Fightinghawks equipped with F-16 radars and new EW systems. However, due to a lack of funding and a shortage of spare parts, the number of combat-ready machines steadily declined. By 2016, only 4-5 aircraft remained in airworthy condition.
Argentina was finally able to decommission the A-4 after an agreement with Denmark to purchase 24 F-16 fighters for $941 million. The contract was signed in 2024. Defense Express notes that Denmark had previously planned to transfer all 44 of its F-16s to Ukraine; however, some of the aircraft were ultimately sold to Argentina following pressure from the US on European partners.