Depends on the AESA. Vixen is supposed to be quite cheap – depending on how big an array you want. US Customs & Border Protection bought the Vixen 500E in preference to mechanically scanned radars on grounds of both performance & cost. Much less maintenance – brings the lifetime cost down. It’s been in service for a while now.

Well, if those have flight hours left, are in good shape and have a spotless documentation the numbers would still be limited. You could also go for Spanish and French examples but those have flown many hours. I would say a Mirage F1 up-grade would be a good solution for existing users, yet I doubt the remaining airframes are in a good enough shape to introduce them as a new type to your force. (unless you are a Mirage III/IV operator maybe)

Because ToT with the Russians is also not that easy unless you go the Chinese way. Brazil won´t decide anything before the MRCA deal is done anyway. This will be a benchmark for what Brazil demands.

And this all assumes that it would remain a limited conflict between the UK and Argentina. After the vote of the Falklanders expressing their clear desire to be British and considering the recent defence agreements between France and the UK as well as the USA and the UK, this is a dangerous bet. Do you not think, that it might sound good to the US and/or France to sent a CBG in exchange for the exploitation rights of some of the oil fields…

1, forget the Malvinas – the population has voted to stay British. Even if you can evade, the consequences would cripple the country. If you want to gain from the riches hidden in the sea, co-operate with the Brits to find and exploit them. Workers, equipment, trade all could go through Argentina.
2. Considering the huge coastline and economic interests the most important thing is a fleet of MPAs. EADS 295 MPAs would be fine. Say 12 of those.
3. Drug problem needs to handled. Super Tucanos or IA-63 would be fine. Tzhey could also do light strike. The Pampas even air policing.
4. Helicopter force is important within such a large country nad useful for natural disasters. Mil8s and Bell 412EPs (or Huey Ii) would do.
5. A small fighter force is needed. the used planes market is difficult today. US F-16s are tired, not many M2ks to get, F-18 are non available. So imho the first option would be a SU-27/30/35 version. Second could be J-10s and third used Tranche 1 Typhoons from Spain (maybe Italy, Germany or UK as well).

The answer is simple. When the Tornados go, they won´t be replaced.

Neither Spain nor Germany need a new combat aircraft for the next 30-40 years. The Typhoons will be enough to patrol the airspace over both countries.

This debate reminds me of the time when the F-16 was new.

Just one engine
Manoeuvrability is nice, but speed counts
Just one pilots
slower than the F-4
no AIM-7s
fly-by-wire will fail
too short ranged

The original question however is valid. If the ToT would have been worked out, it might have been an easier deal for India. The on going contract negotiations with Dassault are understandable but nor confidence building either. If we cut the nationalistic crap US weapon systems delivered to India lately have been on budget and ahead of schedule. Training, documentation and quality of the delivered products have been of a very high standard as has been the OEM support.