Argentine Air Force opens tender for runway sweeping mats ahead of F-16 Fighting Falcon arrival to prevent FOD

Harriet Pembroke • August 18, 2026 15:39

Add Military Zone in Google

Why add us? Get the latest from Military Zone directly in your Google feed.

Join the WhatsApp channel

Join our official WhatsApp channel and receive the news instantly.

The Argentine Air Force has opened a private tender to purchase sweeping-mat systems for cleaning aerodrome runways. On the face of it, the procurement is unremarkable; however, it aligns with the expected arrival of the new F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters. Operating these aircraft requires a range of precautions, including preventing damage caused by foreign object debris (FOD).

👉 Read also: SIMA prepares to launch the first BALOG vessel built in partnership with HD HHI for the Peruvian Navy

Private tender for runway sweeping mats

According to the Technical Specifications, the Argentine Air Force intends to acquire six single sweeping-mat systems of the RZR-8 type, six DPLX-1 (double) systems, and 18 maintenance kits. Although it may look like a minor purchase, stepping up attention to FOD is one of the many elements the Air Force will need to incorporate as the F-16s enter service, particularly because the practice is not currently systematic.

RZR-8 and DPLX-1 systems: what they are for

Sweeping mats such as the RZR-8 and DPLX-1 were designed to collect debris quickly. With a lightweight design, these friction sweepers provide an effective, efficient and easy-to-deploy way to help prevent FOD on military aircraft. They can be towed by vehicles-such as pick-up trucks or ultralights-which makes it easier to cover the large areas of aprons and runways.

Why FOD prevention matters for F-16 operations

FOD-related damage is treated with utmost seriousness; the US Air Force offers a clear illustration of how strict current rules can be. By way of example, the 354th Fighter Wing’s 2024 guidance states: “...All personnel will implement and enforce the concept of ‘Continuous Clean-up’ while performing official duties on the flight line. It is also everyone’s responsibility to implement foreign object damage ( FOD ) prevention techniques while performing duties on the flight line. Any unit requiring driving or working on the flight line will establish and maintain an effective FOD prevention programme...”

The same document adds: “...The high cost of equipment damage and injury to USAF personnel requires all commanders and supervisors to strictly comply with foreign object damage ( FOD ) prevention directives. Foreign object (FO) elimination is the first step in FOD prevention...”

Common FOD prevention practices

Preventive measures to avoid FOD range from tight control over vehicles allowed onto the flight line, to heightened vigilance by all personnel entering the apron area and approaching aircraft, as well as inspections of every kind and the well-known FOD Walk. The latter involves a “shoulder-to-shoulder” walk to search for foreign objects, an activity typically carried out hours before the first take-off in parking areas, hangar spaces and adjacent taxiways.

A cultural shift for the Argentine Air Force

Bringing F-16 fighters into Argentine Air Force service will not only restore and add capabilities; it will also compel a profound change in the organisation’s culture. This spans major considerations such as doctrine, as well as issues that can appear minor but are capable of grounding an aircraft into which tens of millions of dollars have been invested-such as FOD.

Illustrative cover image. Credit: US ANG – Staff Sgt. John Linzmeier