The Argentine Air Force bids farewell to its old A-4AR Fightinghawk attack aircraft

Argentina is undergoing a modernization process of its Armed Forces, with the arrival of new equipment manufactured in the United States.

The daring attack by Argentine A-4 Skyhawk aircraft that sank a British destroyer
The arrival in Argentina of its first six F-16 fighter jets, flown from Denmark

In December 2025, the Argentine Air Force experienced a historic moment with the arrival of its first six F-16 fighter jets, purchased secondhand from Denmark. The Argentine F-16 fleet will be completed in 2028 with 24 units, and their entry into service marks the end of the operational life of an aircraft that has earned the respect and admiration of several generations of aviators in that country.

This Thursday, May 14th at 5:17 PM CET, the Argentine Air Force published a statement indicating: "this Thursday, May 14th, in Villa Reynolds (San Luis province) the Chief of the General Staff; Brigadier General Gustavo Javier Valverde personally communicated the definitive decommissioning of the A-4 AR Fightinghawk Weapon System to the members of the V Air Brigade".

In the statement, Brigadier Valverde highlighted "the indelible legacy that this aircraft leaves in the history of the Air Force and firmly recognized the professionalism and commitment of those who kept the A4 Weapon System operational during all this time."

The Argentine Air Force has stated that "the decision responds strictly to a thorough analysis of institutional strategic planning that prioritizes operational efficiency and economic sustainability", affirming that "the current maintenance and support costs of the A4 AR System's logistics chain necessitate a strategic allocation of resources to long-term projects that guarantee operational levels to fulfill the mission."

Likewise, the head of the Argentine Air Force pointed out that "the deprogramming is based on technical management criteria, where the recently incorporated F-16M Fighting Falcon Weapon System requires affecting institutional human and material resources, currently available in the V Air Brigade".

The A-4AR Fightinghawk is a development of the American Douglas A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft, a model that made its first flight on June 22, 1954, and entered service on October 1, 1956, in the United States. Production of the A-4 Skyhawk began in 1954 and concluded in 1978 with 2,960 units built.

The first A-4B Skyhawk of the Argentine Air Force, C-201, arrived at the V Air Brigade on November 1, 1965 (above). That same year, another 24 A-4Bs were incorporated into the Argentine Air Force, followed by 25 more in 1970. These 50 aircraft were modernized by Lockheed Martin to the A-4P version. In 1976, Argentina purchased 25 A-4Cs, which were assigned to the IV Air Brigade to replace its aging F-86 Sabres.

The Argentine Navy's Naval Aviation also operated this aircraft. It received 16 A-4Bs in 1972, designated A-4Qs in Argentina, which were assigned to the 3rd Naval Fighter and Attack Squadron for operation on the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (pictured above). Argentina operated 48 Skyhawks in the Falklands War (26 A-4Bs and 12 A-4Cs from the Air Force and 10 A-4Qs from the Naval Aviation), losing 22 of them (10 A-4Bs and 9 A-4Cs from the Air Force and 3 A-4Qs from the Naval Aviation). Of those 22, 8 were lost to victories by the British Royal Navy's Sea Harriers.

During that conflict, on May 25, 1982, four A-4B Skyhawks from the Argentine Air Force's 5th Fighter Group carried out a successful attack against the British Navy, sinking the destroyer HMS Coventry (D118) and causing serious damage to the frigate HMS Broadsword (F88) during a daring low-altitude attack. Meanwhile, A-4Qs of the Argentine Navy sank the British frigates HMS Ardent (F184) and HMS Antelope (F170).

The last A-4Qs of the Argentine Naval Aviation were retired from service in 1988, having already been replaced by French Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard naval fighters. The Argentine Air Force's A-4s were subject to a US arms embargo that lasted until 1989, when the rise to power of Carlos Menem and the shift in Argentina's foreign policy allowed for the arrival of more modern aircraft in the 1990s: 36 single-seat A-4M Skyhawk IIs from the US Marine Corps and 4 two-seat TA-4Fs from the US Navy.

Between 1997 and 2000, Argentina contracted with Lockheed Martin to modernize 36 A-4 Skyhawks for its Air Force. In total, 32 single-seat A-4M Skyhawk IIs and 4 two-seat TA-4Fs were selected to be converted, respectively, into single-seat A-4ARs (below) and two-seat OA-4AR Fightinghawks (above). Seven of these aircraft were modernized by Lockheed Martin in the USA, and the rest of the fleet was upgraded at the Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina factory in Córdoba, Argentina.

Over time, part of the Fightinghawk fleet was decommissioned, with the availability of operational aircraft decreasing, making a replacement urgent. The arrival of Javier Milei to the presidency and his pro-US and pro-Western policies facilitated the acquisition of the F-16s. Yesterday, with its farewell to the last A-4ARs, the Argentine Air Force closed a major chapter in its history.

Now there is only one military operator of the A-4: the Brazilian Navy, which still has 7 of these aircraft in service: 4 single-seat AF-1Bs (local designation for the A-4KU, shown above) and 3 two-seat AF-1Cs (local designation for the TA-4KU). In addition, there are private companies that also operate these aircraft: Draken International, AeroGroup, and Legionnaire International (from the USA) and Top Aces (from Canada). These companies use these aircraft for training and as aggressor aircraft for military pilots, as well as for weapons testing.

---

Photos: Fuerza Aérea Argentina / Armada Argentina / Marinha do Brasil.