{"id":32291256,"date":"2026-11-11T14:57:45","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T13:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/?p=32291256"},"modified":"2026-11-11T14:57:58","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T13:57:58","slug":"mexico-fighter-competition-f-16-gripen-fa-50-m-346-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/mexico-fighter-competition-f-16-gripen-fa-50-m-346-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Mexico&rsquo;s Fighter Race: F-16, Gripen, FA-50 or M-346?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color 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The <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/mexican-air-force\/\">Mexican Air Force<\/a>&rsquo;s front line is still its <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/northrop-f-5\/\">Northrop F-5E\/F Tiger IIs<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f5f5f5;border-left:4px solid #1a1a1a;padding:18px 22px;margin:24px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px\"><li><strong>Requirement:<\/strong> About 12 aircraft by 2028, according to the Mexican Air Force&rsquo;s plan as reported in South Korean media<\/li><li><strong>Role:<\/strong> Air defence, reconnaissance and ground attack<\/li><li><strong>Options named:<\/strong> Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70\/72, Saab Gripen E\/F, KAI FA-50, Leonardo M-346FA<\/li><li><strong>Replaces:<\/strong> F-5E\/F Tiger II, bought in 1982<\/li><li><strong>Status:<\/strong> No formal tender or selection date announced<\/li><li><strong>Value:<\/strong> Not announced; analysts estimate more than $1.2 billion<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Four Options, One Shortlist<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The four contenders were named by the air force&rsquo;s own commander. At the Tulum Air Show in April 2026, General Rom&aacute;n Carmona Landa said the service wanted an aircraft able to handle air defence, reconnaissance and ground attack, and listed the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-16-fighting-falcon\/\">F-16<\/a>, Saab&rsquo;s Gripen E\/F, Korea Aerospace Industries&rsquo; FA-50 and Leonardo&rsquo;s M-346FA as options. Mexico&rsquo;s defence ministry has not said when it will choose, and no formal tender has been published.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Not the Same Weight Class<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/t-50-golden-eagle\/\">T-50 Golden Eagle<\/a> 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/m-346-master\/\">M-346 Master<\/a> trainer. The Gripen E\/F sits between them: a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter in the same broad role as the F-16.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Seoul&rsquo;s Push<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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&rsquo;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&rsquo;s procurement agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What the Viral Post Gets Right<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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&rsquo; estimate, not a Mexican budget; Mexico has announced no price. And the F-16&rsquo;s maximum take-off weight is about 1.8 times the FA-50&rsquo;s, slightly less than &ldquo;nearly twice&rdquo;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>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. Rom&aacute;n Carmona Landa, Tulum Air Show (April 2026).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>Is Mexico buying new fighter jets?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Mexican Air Force plans to acquire about 12 new combat aircraft by 2028 to replace its F-5E\/F Tiger IIs, bought in 1982. No formal tender, budget or selection date has been announced.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Which fighters is Mexico considering?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Mexican Air Force commander Gen. Rom&aacute;n Carmona Landa named four options in April 2026: the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70\/72, the Saab Gripen E\/F, the KAI FA-50 and the Leonardo M-346FA.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How much will Mexico&rsquo;s fighter deal cost?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Mexico has not announced a budget. Defence industry analysts cited in South Korean media estimate the deal could exceed $1.2 billion.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How does the FA-50 compare with the F-16?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The F-16 Block 70\/72 is a full-size frontline fighter with a maximum take-off weight of about 48,000 lb, while the FA-50, developed from the T-50 trainer, is listed at 26,929 lb. KAI itself says the FA-50 is in a different weight class and usually competes with the M-346.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What does the Mexican Air Force fly now?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Mexican Air Force&rsquo;s fighter force consists of Northrop F-5E\/F Tiger IIs bought in 1982, which the new aircraft would replace.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Did South Korea&rsquo;s president promote the FA-50 in Mexico?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. President Lee Jae Myung made the first state visit to Mexico by a Korean president in 16 years in September 2026 and took the FA-50 bid with him. KAI also signed an aerospace cooperation memorandum, but no purchase commitment was made.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is Mexico buying new fighter jets?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Mexican Air Force plans to acquire about 12 new combat aircraft by 2028 to replace its F-5E\/F Tiger IIs, bought in 1982. No formal tender, budget or selection date has been announced.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which fighters is Mexico considering?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Mexican Air Force commander Gen. Rom\u00e1n Carmona Landa named four options in April 2026: the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70\/72, the Saab Gripen E\/F, the KAI FA-50 and the Leonardo M-346FA.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How much will Mexico\u2019s fighter deal cost?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Mexico has not announced a budget. Defence industry analysts cited in South Korean media estimate the deal could exceed $1.2 billion.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How does the FA-50 compare with the F-16?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The F-16 Block 70\/72 is a full-size frontline fighter with a maximum take-off weight of about 48,000 lb, while the FA-50, developed from the T-50 trainer, is listed at 26,929 lb. KAI itself says the FA-50 is in a different weight class and usually competes with the M-346.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What does the Mexican Air Force fly now?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Mexican Air Force\u2019s fighter force consists of Northrop F-5E\/F Tiger IIs bought in 1982, which the new aircraft would replace.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Did South Korea\u2019s president promote the FA-50 in Mexico?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. President Lee Jae Myung made the first state visit to Mexico by a Korean president in 16 years in September 2026 and took the FA-50 bid with him. KAI also signed an aerospace cooperation memorandum, but no purchase commitment was made.\"}}]}<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mexico&rsquo;s air force wants around 12 new combat jets to replace F-5s it bought in 1982. Its commander has named four options: the F-16, the Gripen E\/F, the FA-50 and the M-346FA. South Korea has put its president behind the FA-50. Here is where the race stands, and why nothing is decided.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":32291094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32291256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Mexico Fighter Jets: F-16 vs Gripen vs FA-50 vs M-346 | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Mexican Air Force wants 12 new combat jets by 2028 to replace its 1982 F-5s. Four types are in the frame, and South Korea is pushing hard. 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