Taiwan receives three more F-16V Block 70 jets at Taitung air base
Aircraft 6729, 6731 and 6732 will undergo acceptance and training work as the Air Force gradually establishes initial operational capability.
Deliveries of the F-16V Block 70 fighter jets ordered by Taiwan from the United States are continuing. The Air Force received its second batch of three aircraft on Nov. 8, with the jets landing at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung. Acceptance and training activities will now proceed according to plan as the Air Force gradually establishes initial operational capability.
According to a Central News Agency (CNA) report on Nov. 8, the three aircraft, numbered 6729, 6731 and 6732, arrived at the Taitung air base at about 11 a.m. The Air Force Headquarters said it would carry out acceptance and training work on schedule so the new fighters can gradually enter operational service.
The report said the three aircraft departed earlier this month from Lockheed Martin’s plant in South Carolina and arrived in Hawaii on Nov. 4 before continuing on to Taiwan. The delivery followed the arrival of the first two F-16V Block 70 fighters on Oct. 2.
The United States approved the sale of 66 F-16V fighters and related equipment to Taiwan in 2019 in a deal worth about US$8 billion. Deliveries were originally scheduled to begin in 2023 and be completed in 2026, but technical issues have delayed the overall timetable.
The F-16V Block 70 is one of the latest production configurations in the F-16 family and is equipped with upgraded avionics and radar systems. For Taiwan, the procurement is part of an Air Force capability renewal program that also involves pilot training, maintenance and logistics, and adjustments to the broader operational system.
As more of the new aircraft arrive, the progress of acceptance training and deliveries will be an important indicator of the Air Force’s modernization. The date by which all 66 fighters will be delivered remains dependent on subsequent production and handover schedules.