Taiwan’s first F-16V fighter jets arrive to strengthen defence against China

The first two of a batch of 66 new F-16V Block 70 fighter jets ordered in 2019 arrived in Taiwan on Friday after months of delays, helping to strengthen an air force that must scramble almost every day to track China’s military.

Taiwan faces a growing military threat from Beijing, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory. Taipei has complained about repeated delays in weapons orders from the United States, its most important international backer and arms supplier.

The delivery, at the Chihhang Air Base in Taitung on the island’s mountainous east coast, comes amid growing concern in Taiwan about the Trump administration’s commitment to arming Taipei, despite Washington saying there has been no change in policy.

The aircraft, which flew via Hawaii and Guam, landed at midday (04:00 GMT).

Speaking to reporters in parliament in Taipei shortly beforehand, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said more new F-16Vs would arrive soon, although he gave no details.

“Of course, we will not have delivered only these two by the end of the year”, he said.

The United States in 2019 approved an $8 billion sale by Lockheed Martin of F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan, a deal that would take the island’s F-16 fleet to more than 200. But problems, including software problems, have delayed delivery of the jets.

The arrival of the first two jets came almost exactly a week after U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.

Trump said in May, after meeting Xi in Beijing, that he was putting on hold a new $14 billion package for Taiwan, although he approved an $11 billion package in December 2025.

The threat level from China

U.S. officials believe a Chinese invasion of Taiwan before 2028 is increasingly unlikely, people familiar with U.S. thinking told Reuters. Taiwan holds its next presidential elections in early 2028.

“China’s goal of annexing Taiwan by force has never changed”, Koo said.

The F-16Vs have advanced avionics, weapons and radar systems to better counter the Chinese air force, including its J-20 stealth fighters, although Washington has not been willing to offer Taiwan its most advanced fighters such as the F-22 or F-35.

An upgrade programme for Taiwan’s existing F-16 jets was completed in 2023.

The United States is obliged by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but the two sides have no formal diplomatic relations.

Beijing has repeatedly asked Washington to stop arming Taiwan. China’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the arrival of the F-16 jets.

“We continue to stand with friends and allies across the Indo-Pacific to advance our shared prosperity, security and values – that includes Taiwan”, a U.S. State Department spokesman said when asked about the new F-16 jets.