Taiwan has received its first two F-16V Block 70 fighter jets from the US, marking a step in bolstering its air defense capabilities amid mounting military pressure from Beijing.
Bearing tail numbers 6727 and 6728, the single-seat platforms landed at Chihhang Air Base in eastern Taitung County following transpacific ferry flights with stops in Hawaii and Guam.
The fighters were escorted into Taiwanese airspace by Brave Eagle advanced jet trainers and upgraded F-16V Block 20 systems.
Following the shipment, the Republic of China Air Force will begin the planes’ acceptance testing and related conversion training.
The jets will equip the military’s newly formed 7th Tactical Fighter Wing at Chihhang Air Base while transitioning the site from its historical role as a training hub into a primary combat installation.
“This is a significant step forward in enhancing Taiwan’s air defense capabilities and demonstrates our firm resolve to strengthen self-defense and ensure peace through strength,” Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te stated following the arrival.
66 Airframes by 2030
The reception represents the initial shipment under Taipei’s 247.2-billion new Taiwan dollar ($7.7 billion) initiative dubbed “Phoenix Project,” signed to acquire 66 of the Lockheed Martin-built aircraft.
Production and supply chain disruptions delayed the delivery, which originally targeted completion by the end of 2026.
Defense Minister Wellington Koo said that additional F-16V transfers were already coordinated with Washington, including another batch scheduled before the end of the year.
Once all new fighters are commissioned, Taiwan will operate over 200 F-16Vs, combining the new Block 70 fleet with 139 legacy F-16A/B airframes upgraded under a separate effort completed in 2023.
Block 70 Features
The F-16V Block 70 variant incorporates modern avionics, the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, the L3Harris Viper Shield electronic warfare suite, and conformal fuel tank design.
Equipped with General Electric F110-GE-129 engines, the jet can carry precision ordnance including AIM-120D air-to-air missiles, AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.