Taiwan Accepts First Pair of Delayed US F-16V Jets as $14 Billion Arms Package Remains Pending

Taiwan’s air force confirmed on Friday that it has taken delivery of the initial two aircraft from a contract for 65 F-16V fighter jets supplied by the United States, concluding years of postponement.

The F-16V Block 70 models landed at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung, with 63 units still awaiting shipment. Taipei originally placed the procurement order in 2019. The self-governing island, which Beijing claims as part of its sovereign territory, relies primarily on Washington for defense hardware to counter the military pressure exerted by the mainland.

To bolster its defenses against China, Taiwan purchases the majority of its weaponry from the US, its most significant informal partner. Beijing launches fighter and naval incursions toward the island on a near-daily basis. Taiwan’s defense minister stated on Tuesday that negotiations regarding weapons sales with Washington are continuing.

This delivery marks the beginning of a lengthy queue of outstanding US orders totaling nearly $30 billion. According to the Taiwan Security Monitor at George Mason University, the F-16Vs comprise $8 billion, or roughly 25% of the total backlog.

Production bottlenecks and supply chain complications contributed to the initial delays.

The arrival of the jets coincides with Taiwan waiting on US administration approval for a supplementary $14 billion arms package.

That proposal has slowed following a May meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Defense sales to Taiwan are a persistent friction point between the two powers; Beijing has frequently urged Washington to cease the transfers, a concern Xi reportedly raised directly with Trump.

Associated Press journalist Johnson Lai in Taipei contributed to this report.

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