Mexico has not bought a new fighter in more than four decades. The Mexican Air Force’s front line is still its Northrop F-5E/F Tiger IIs, bought in 1982. In 2026 that started to change. The air force has a plan for around 12 new combat aircraft by 2028, four types are in contention, and one of the bidders brought its head of state to Mexico City to make the case.
Quick Facts
- Requirement: About 12 aircraft by 2028, according to the Mexican Air Force’s plan as reported in South Korean media
- Role: Air defence, reconnaissance and ground attack
- Options named: Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70/72, Saab Gripen E/F, KAI FA-50, Leonardo M-346FA
- Replaces: F-5E/F Tiger II, bought in 1982
- Status: No formal tender or selection date announced
- Value: Not announced; analysts estimate more than $1.2 billion
Four Options, One Shortlist
The four contenders were named by the air force’s own commander. At the Tulum Air Show in April 2026, General Román Carmona Landa said the service wanted an aircraft able to handle air defence, reconnaissance and ground attack, and listed the F-16, Saab’s Gripen E/F, Korea Aerospace Industries’ FA-50 and Leonardo’s M-346FA as options. Mexico’s defence ministry has not said when it will choose, and no formal tender has been published.
Not the Same Weight Class
The four are not like-for-like. The F-16 Block 70/72 is a full-size frontline fighter with a maximum take-off weight of around 48,000 lb, according to Lockheed Martin. The FA-50, developed from the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer, is listed by KAI at 26,929 lb, a little over half that. A KAI spokesperson has said the two are in different weight classes and that the FA-50 usually competes with the M-346, the Italian light combat aircraft developed from the M-346 Master trainer. The Gripen E/F sits between them: a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter in the same broad role as the F-16.
Seoul’s Push
South Korea has been the most visible campaigner. President Lee Jae Myung made the first state visit to Mexico by a Korean president in 16 years, meeting President Claudia Sheinbaum at the National Palace on 24 September 2026, and the Korean side took the FA-50 bid with it. KAI also signed a memorandum on aerospace cooperation with Mexico’s aerospace industry federation, Femia, and Posco International, covering local production, supply chains, drones, satellites and maintenance. None of the agreements signed during the visit commits Mexico to buying an aircraft, and Mexico had not sent a formal request to South Korea’s procurement agency.
Analysts quoted in Korean media also point to politics. Washington declined in July 2026 to renew the USMCA trade agreement in its current form, and a large fighter order could become a bargaining chip in trade talks, in either direction.
What the Viral Post Gets Right
The post going around is right on the essentials: a plan for 12 aircraft, four named contenders, an F-16 that is far heavier and more capable than the FA-50, a strong Korean push including a presidential visit, and no decision yet. Two details need care. The $1.2 billion figure is an analysts’ estimate, not a Mexican budget; Mexico has announced no price. And the F-16’s maximum take-off weight is about 1.8 times the FA-50’s, slightly less than “nearly twice”.
Sources: Korea JoongAng Daily (28 September, 2 October and 14 October 2026); Financial News, Seoul (25 September 2026); Korea Aerospace Industries and Lockheed Martin published specifications; Gen. Román Carmona Landa, Tulum Air Show (April 2026).
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