On 2 October, Taiwan took delivery of its first two new F-16V Block 70 fighter jets from the US. According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, the aircraft arrived at Zhihang Air Base in Taitung County around midday.
Briefly about the main points
- The first two of 66 new F-16V Block 70s have arrived in Taiwan.
- The supply programme had previously been delayed due to a number of factors.
- Defence Minister Wellington Ku has announced further deliveries by the end of the year, without specifying exact dates.
- If the programme is fully implemented, Taiwan will have up to 205 F-16Vs.
The first aircraft from a batch of 66
The new fighter jets are the first of 66 F-16C/D Block 70s, which are often referred to in the media as F-16V. The US approved a potential sale under this programme in 2019; its estimated value was $8 billion.
The delivery is set to bolster the Taiwanese Air Force’s fleet, which regularly responds to the activities of Chinese aircraft and ships near the island. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has consistently demanded that Washington halt arms sales to the island.
Why has the delivery schedule been delayed?
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence had previously reported that the delays were not solely due to the flight control system’s software. Among other factors cited were adjustments to the assembly schedule in the US and suppliers’ delivery schedules.
Minister of Defence of Taiwan Wellington Ku On 2 October, he stated that by the end of 2026 the country would receive more than just these two aircraft. However, he did not specify either the number of further aircraft or the exact dates of their arrival. Therefore, this latest delivery does not mean that all issues with the schedule have now been fully resolved.
What will the upgraded fleet be like?
In December 2023, Taiwan completed the upgrade of its 139 existing F-16A/B aircraft to the F-16V configuration. If all 66 new aircraft are delivered and the composition of the existing fleet remains unchanged, the total number of F-16Vs will be 205.
According to Lockheed Martin, the Block 70 variant is equipped with an AN/APG-83 AESA radar, upgraded avionics and electronic warfare systems. The US has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and the Taiwan Relations Act sets out the policy of providing it with defence equipment and services sufficient for its self-defence. The Act does not guarantee the automatic supply of any specific weapon system.
