Taiwan’s long-awaited F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft are approaching delivery, with the first two fighters expected to reach the island after delays that postponed the original 2023 timetable.The aircraft recently departed Lockheed Martin’s South Carolina production facility and traveled to Guam. Their onward flight to Chihang Air Force Base in Taitung will depend on favorable weather. Once delivered, Taiwanese personnel will conduct inspections and begin conversion training before the aircraft are introduced into service.Production of the remaining aircraft is expected to continue, with Lockheed Martin targeting completion of the overall delivery schedule by 2028. The fighters will be assigned to the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing in eastern Taiwan.Taiwan already operates a substantial F-16 fleet. Its air force has 150 F-16A/B fighters acquired during the 1990s, all of which were upgraded to the F-16V Block 20 configuration during a modernization program completed between 2016 and 2023.The US approved Taiwan’s proposed purchase of 66 new F-16C/D Block 70 fighters in 2019 under an $8 billion foreign military sale package. The aircraft feature advanced AESA radar technology, F110 engines, and improved beyond-visual-range engagement capabilities.The new fighters are expected to strengthen Taiwan’s air-defense network as Chinese military activity around the island continues to increase. Their delivery was delayed by a combination of production challenges, supply-chain disruptions, and software integration work.
