[citation needed] By 1938–39, Argentina's air power consisted of roughly 3,200 personnel (including about 200 officers) and maintained approximately 230 aircraft.

In his first term, President Juan Perón brought teams of European engineers to the FMA, then known as the Instituto Aerotécnico ('Aerotechnical Institute'), or I.Ae., to promote aircraft technological development.

The count totaled to around 750 workers, including two teams of German designers (led by Kurt Tank) and the French engineer Émile Dewoitine.

These aircraft were paid for by the United States to partially pay back its debt to Argentina, which had provided them with raw materials during World War II.

[4] The Air Force, with former Luftwaffe officers as consultants[citation needed] and with the European teams that Perón had brought, also began to develop its own aircraft, including the I.Ae.

[7] These manufactures gave Argentina the positions of the first country in Latin America and the sixth in the world to develop jet fighter technology on its own.

35 Huanquero transport, the I. Ae 22 DL advanced trainer, and the I.Ae 24 Calquín twin-engine attack-bomber; as well as rockets, and planes for civilian use (like the FMA 20 El Boyero).

Government loyalist Gloster Meteors fought rebel planes that attempted a failed assassination of the President as part of a coup d'état.

[8][9] In the following September coup, the Air Force supported Perón's government by initiating combat operations and transporting troops and arms[10] with a meager five aircraft defecting to the other side.

[11] After the Revolución Libertadora succeeded and the coup took place, previously mentioned manufacturing operations ceased and most foreign workers left the country,[citation needed] including engineer Kurt Tank who went to work in India.

[12] Despite claims that the Argentine Air Force "baptism by fire" took place during the Malvinas War (1982), this was actually the first time it entered combat.

Previously, President Juan Perón had created the Antarctic Task Forces (FATA, Fuerzas de Tareas Antárticas) to fulfill this purpose.

This resulted in the first trans-Antarctic three-continent flight in history when a Hercules C-130 flew between Río Gallegos; Marambio Base; Christchurch, New Zealand and Canberra, Australia.

During the 1970s, the Air Force re-equipped itself with Mirage III interceptors, IAI Dagger multi-role fighters, and C-130 Hercules cargo planes.

[24] The Argentine Air Force reacted by sending multiple IAI Dagger, A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft, and Mirage III interceptors into the fray.

The Argentine Air Force suffered 55 dead and 47 wounded, with 505 combat departures and 62 aircraft losses, as listed below:[25] After the war, the UK imposed an arms embargo on Argentina.

[27] The Argentine Air Force has been involved in United Nations peacekeeping missions, sending a contingent to Cyprus in 1994[28][29] and deploying Bell 212 helicopters to Haiti during 2005.

[30] As of 2010[update], budgetary constraints continued, leading to the disbanding of the Boeing 707 transport squadron and maintenance problems for half of the C-130 Hercules fleet.

Britain similarly blocked the potential sale of Brazilian license-built Saab Gripen aircraft to Argentina, given that some avionics were of British origin.

[49] Early in 2021, Russia made several proposals related to the acquisition of aircraft by Argentina including the apparent offer of MiG-35 fighters.

[50] These built on earlier offers of the MiG-29 as well as on measures being undertaken to extend the life of Mi-171E helicopters acquired by Argentina in 2010 to support operations in Antarctica.

[53] In September 2021, the Government officially included funding of $664 million in a draft budget for Congress involving the purchase of new combat aircraft.

In 2022, talks with China over the potential purchase of JF-17 Thunders, and possibly Chengdu J-10s, and with India for HAL Tejas fighter jets came to the fore.

Referring to the strategic and political situation in South America he further commented that: “There are no war problems, peace is the common denominator between us.”[55] It was simultaneously confirmed that the fighter aircraft replacement program had been stopped.

[56] In early 2023, Argentina confirmed the purchase of six Bell 407 for the Armed Forces and plans for the modernization of its inventory of Hughes 500Ds pending the arrival of new Beechcraft TC-12B Hurons.

[59] On 11 October 2023, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Security Mira Resnick confirmed to Jorge Argüello, Argentinean ambassador to the US, that the State Department has approved the transfer of 38 F-16s from Denmark.

[61] On March 26, 2024, the Danish Defence Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, signed a letter of intent with his Argentine counterpart to transfer the aircraft.