F-16 Block 50s can be armed with US missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder, and the Israeli-made Derby, Python IV and Python V. The Chilean F-16s are part of the following units: 1st Air Brigade (I Brigada Aérea) in Los Condores Air Base. 3rd Aviation Group (Grupo de Aviación Nº 3). 5th Air Brigade (V Brigada Aérea) in Cerro Moreno Air Base. 7th Aviation Group (Grupo de Aviación Nº 7). 8th Aviation Group (Grupo de Aviación Nº 8). Venezuela The first – and for a long time the only – Latin American user of the F-16, Venezuela ordered a total of 24 F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft in May 1982 under the PEACE DELTA program; the US government originally offered the F-16/J79 version, but eventually authorized the sale of the standard Block 15 version. Deliveries of 18 ‘A’ models and six ‘B’ models began in September 1983 and were completed in 1985. Since entering operational service in 1984, these fighters have served with 161st and 162nd Fighter Squadrons of Fighter Air Group 16 at El Libertador Airbase, Palo Negro. The Venezuelan Air Force had wanted to order a further batch of 24 aircraft, but was unable to afford the purchase. Venezuela has been seeking two attrition replacements for lost F-16s since late 1997, but has not been able to obtain them due to financial problems and souring relations between the United States and the government of President Hugo Chávez. On 15 May 2006, the US government announced that it would enact a ban on arms sales to Venezuela to become effective at the beginning of October of that year. This embargo was expected to soon render Venezuela's F-16 fleet non-operational, and General Alberto Muller, a military advisor to President Chávez, responded to the embargo announcement with a threat to sell Venezuela's remaining 21 F-16s to Iran. Subsequently, the Chávez government decided to pursue replacement of its American-sourced military aircraft inventory with Russian aircraft, and in mid-June 2006 it was revealed that Venezuela had recently ordered several Sukhoi Su-30s. Venezuela's F-16s have been modified to use the Israeli Python IV infrared-guided air-to-air missile. They are also capable of carrying the Rafael LITENING II targeting pod. Former operators Italy Italy decided on the Eurofighter Typhoon as its next generation of air-defense fighter, however this aircraft faced delivery delays for some time. In the meantime, 24 Panavia Tornado ADV jets from