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Taiwan Bolsters Defense with First F-16V Deliveries Amidst China Tensions
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News18•02-10-2026, 17:00
Taiwan Bolsters Defense with First F-16V Deliveries Amidst China Tensions
- •Taiwan received the first two of 65 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets from the US, landing at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung, following years of production and supply chain delays.
- •The F-16V order, placed in 2019, is valued at $8 billion and represents a significant portion of Taiwan's nearly $30 billion backlog of US arms purchases.
- •Taiwan relies on US arms to strengthen its defenses against military threats from China, which claims the self-ruled island as its territory and frequently sends military assets towards it.
- •The delivery comes as Taiwan awaits approval for an additional $14 billion US arms package, which has been stalled after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping.
- •US defense sales to Taiwan are a major point of contention between Washington and Beijing, with China repeatedly urging the US to halt such sales.
Key Questions Answered
Taiwan received the first two of 65 F-16V fighter jets ordered from the United States following years of delays, with the aircraft landing at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung.
Taiwan placed its order for the F-16V fighter jets in 2019 to boost its defences against military threats from China.
The F-16V order is worth USD 8 billion, representing roughly 25 percent of an entire US arms backlog worth almost USD 30 billion for Taiwan.
