Taiwan receives first two of 66 F-16V Block 70 jets amid rising Chinese pressure

The first two of Taiwan’s 66 new F-16V Block 70 fighter jets landed at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung around noon on October 2, 2026, as reported by Focus Taiwan.

The single-seat jets, with serial numbers 6727 and 6728, arrived from Guam on the final leg of a ferry flight from the US. The aircraft will remain US property until a formal handover and acceptance checks are completed.

The aircraft left Lockheed Martin’s plant in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 17, 2026, and reached Hawaii on August 21, 2026, where they remained for about six weeks. 

The two jets arrived without their AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield electronic warfare systems, though Defense Minister Wellington Koo noted that testing of the system was on schedule.

According to Koo, more jets are set to arrive before the end of 2026, but he did not indicate how many. The remaining aircraft are expected in 2027 and 2028.

Three decades of Taiwanese F-16s, and the production delays behind the newest batch

Taiwan first acquired the F-16 in the 1990s. Its original F-16A/B Block 20 jets arrived in 1997, and the fleet was later upgraded to the F-16V configuration, a program completed in December 2023.

The US approved the sale of the 66 new Block 70 jets, 56 single-seat and 10 two-seat, in August 2019, in a deal worth about US$8 billion. Deliveries were originally due to begin in 2023, but were delayed by the relocation and restarting of the F-16 production line, supply chain disruptions and software issues.

A 200-plus F-16 fleet takes shape amid China pressure

The Block 70 features the AN/APG-83 AESA radar, conformal fuel tanks for extended range and strengthened landing gear for heavier loads. 

All 66 jets will be based at Chihhang with the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing, formed in December 2023 to defend Taiwan’s east coast. Once deliveries are complete, Taiwan will operate more than 200 F-16s.

The arrival comes as Taiwan’s air force scrambles almost daily in response to Chinese military activity. Beijing claims the de facto independent country as its own and has repeatedly urged Washington to stop arming it. 

A separate US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan remains on hold after Trump paused it following objections from Beijing, AFP reported.

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