Taiwan Takes Delivery of First Advanced F-16 Fighter Jets from the US

Boost for Air Defense: Taiwan Receives First of 66 F-16C/D Block 70 Jets

In a significant move for Taiwan's defense capabilities, the US has handed over the first of its long-awaited F-16C/D Block 70 fighter jets. Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) and Representative to the US Alexander Yui attended the delivery ceremony held at a Lockheed Martin Corp factory in Greenville, South Carolina, on Friday.

“We are so proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to support Taiwan’s air defense capabilities,” wrote US Representative William Timmons on X, celebrating the event. The new F-16C/D Block 70 jets are designed with the same capabilities as aircraft upgraded to F-16Vs, representing a substantial upgrade to Taiwan's air power.

The batch of Lockheed Martin fighter jets will be used by the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing, a new air force unit responsible for defending Taiwan's eastern region. President William Lai (賴清德) previously stated during an inspection that the unit was preparing for the arrival of these advanced jets.

The F-16C/D Block 70 is anticipated to be the final model of Lockheed Martin F-16s, as the US Air Force and its allies transition to F-35 stealth fighters. The main features of these jets include AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned arrays, AN/ALQ-254(V)1 all-digital electronic warfare suites, conformal fuel tanks, and new mission computers, cockpits, and interface systems.

These fighters are equipped to deploy AIM-120 and AIM-9 air-to-air missiles, along with a variety of ground attack munitions. The ground-attack weapons include anti-radiation missiles, GPS-guided bombs, and the long-range AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon glide bombs, one of Taiwan’s latest acquisitions.

The Ministry of National Defense expressed its gratitude to US government agencies for facilitating the delivery. Washington’s invitation to senior Taiwanese officials to attend the delivery ceremony underscores the US’ commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances,” which guide US-Taiwan relations and preclude the US from setting a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan or consulting with China regarding such sales.

The Ministry of National Defense is working closely with the US to ensure the jets are manufactured and delivered on schedule, addressing previous production delays. Defense expert Mei Fu-hsing (梅復興) noted on Facebook that while the new jets are designed with the AN/ALQ-254(V)1 technology, the initial jet may lack that specific electronic warfare suite, suggesting the potential need for an alternative, such as the ALQ-184(V) electronic warfare suite.