The two jets arrived a week after the Trump-Xi meeting. Taipei is awaiting 64 more aircraft under an $8 billion contract.
Taiwan has received the first two F-16V Block 70 fighters in a US order for 66 aircraft. The delivery came a week after US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping and amid renewed calls from Beijing for “reunification” with the island.
The $8 billion deal was approved in 2019. Deliveries were due to begin in 2023 and finish in 2026, but production problems and software updates caused a three-year delay. The aircraft arrived at Zhi-Hang air base in Taitung, southeastern Taiwan. Taipei welcomed their arrival ahead of its October 2 national holiday while acknowledging the schedule slippage.
The F-16V Block 70 is a modernised Lockheed Martin fighter with upgraded radar and electronic warfare systems. Additional fuel tanks extend its range without taking up space for under-fuselage weapons. Once all 66 aircraft are delivered, Taiwan’s air force is expected to have about 200 jets.
On October 1, marking the 77th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, Xi called for “reunification” and urged opposition to Taiwanese independence forces and foreign interference. Trump has meanwhile suspended a separate $14 billion arms package for Taiwan amid objections from Beijing, AFP reported.
Tensions continue at sea. Near Dongsha Island, Taiwan’s coast guard used water cannon to turn away a Chinese fishing boat that refused to leave. Taipei’s coast guard said it was the seventh incursion by Chinese-flagged vessels into Taiwan’s territorial waters.