Taiwan Receives First Two of 66 New F-16V Block 70 Fighters After Nearly Seven Years
The jets landed at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung. They are the first brand-new fighters delivered to Taiwan in 25 years, and more are due in stages.
Taiwan received its first two F-16V Block 70 fighter jets on Friday, nearly seven years after Washington approved the sale. The single-seat aircraft landed at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung County on the island's east coast, the first step in delivery of 66 new-build jets that were approved in a 2019 sale worth about $8 billion.
The two jets left Texas on August 17 and flew to Hawaii, where they spent close to a month and a half in inspections and preparation. They then flew to Guam on Thursday and continued on to Taiwan. They are the first factory-new fighter aircraft delivered to the island in 25 years.
President Lai Ching-te called the arrival "an important development in strengthening Taiwan's air defense capabilities" and thanked the United States. Defense Minister Wellington Koo said more F-16Vs would arrive soon but gave no specifics. Taiwan's air force said 63 Block 70 fighters are on U.S. production lines, with some already in the delivery phase, and that the rest will be handed over in stages on a schedule agreed with American officials.
The deliveries have been badly delayed. Software problems were among the reasons cited for months of postponements. Taiwan, which had expected the jets years earlier, has watched China's military pressure grow in the meantime. The island scrambles aircraft almost daily to monitor Chinese military activity around it.
The new fighters bring Taiwan's F-16 fleet to more than 200 aircraft and mark the start of what the air force calls the aircraft acceptance and integration phase of its Peace Phoenix Soaring project. The Block 70 version is the most advanced F-16 variant, with a newer radar and a more modern cockpit and electronics than the older jets in Taiwan's inventory.
The delivery comes at a sensitive moment. There has been concern in Taipei about how firmly the Trump administration is committed to arming Taiwan, even though U.S. officials say the policy has not changed. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out force to take it, declined to comment when asked about the jets by reporters.
Taiwan is also pursuing other parts of its defense buildup. Its domestic submarine program is continuing, and the first boat, the Narwhal, is in final testing before delivery.
For Taiwan's military, the arrival is as much about training and logistics as it is about firepower. Two jets do not change the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait. Pilots have to be certified, maintainers have to learn the systems, and the air force has to integrate the aircraft into its command networks before the Block 70s can be fully used. The schedule for the remaining 64 jets will determine how quickly Taiwan can turn a long-delayed purchase into real capability.
