Taiwan received on Friday its first F-16V fighter jets made by the United States, as the island democracy upgrades its military capabilities to deter a potential Chinese attack.
The warplanes are part of an $8 billion deal for 66 F-16Vs approved during US President Donald Trump’s first term and scheduled for delivery this year.
“But what we are actually lacking the most right now is pilots. Of course, I hope the government can provide better additional allowances for these military pilots. A US official said recently it was increasingly likely the $14 billion worth of arms, which include the Patriot air defence system, would be broken up into smaller amounts to temper China’s response.
Former Air Force serviceman Eric Chan, 57, marvelled at the improvements made to the F-16 over the past 30 years and said the fighter jets based in Taitung will “play a very important defensive role” against China. Equipped with more advanced combat, detection and engine capabilities, the F-16V will be “a valuable addition to Taiwan’s air force in countering China’s military threat,” said Su Tzu-yun, a military expert at the Taipei-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research. Taiwan’s Defence Minister Wellington Koo said previously it would be “challenging” for all the F-16Vs to be delivered this year, despite Lockheed Martin ramping up production. On Friday, Koo said more F-16Vs would be delivered to Taiwan “before the end of the year”, but did not say how many. “At present, I think aircraft are gradually moving through the production line, and there are also aircraft that have passed the tests,” Koo said.
