Latest news with #F-16Vs
Times of Oman
31-03-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Taiwan receives first long-awaited F-16C/D Block 70 jets from US
Taipei: Taiwan on Friday received the first of its long-awaited 66 F-16C/D Block 70 jets from the US during a delivery ceremony held at Lockheed Martin's factory in the US's Greenville, South Carolina, Taipei Times reported on Sunday. According to Taipei Times, Taiwan's Deputy Minister of National Defence Po Horng-huei and Representative to the US Alexander Yui attended the event. US Representative William Timmons also expressed pride in supporting Taiwan's air defence capabilities, sharing a photo of the ceremony on X. "We are so proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to support Taiwan's air defence capabilities," he said, taking to X as quoted by Taipei Times. The F-16C/D Block 70 jets delivered to Taiwan have similar capabilities to those of the F-16Vs after upgrades, as per the Taipei Times. The jets will be assigned to Taiwan's newly formed 7th Tactical Fighter Wing, which will focus on defending the eastern region of the island. In January, Taiwanese President William Lai noted that two of the three tactical groups in the wing had already been staffed and were awaiting the jets' arrival. Taipei Times reported that the F-16C/D Block 70 is expected to be the last version of Lockheed Martin's F-16, as the US and its allies transition to F-35 stealth fighters. Key features of the F-16C/D Block 70 jets include AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned arrays, AN/ALQ-254(V)1 all-digital electronic warfare suites, conformal fuel tanks, and upgraded mission computers, cockpits, and interface systems. The aircraft are capable of firing AIM-120 and AIM-9 air-to-air missiles and various ground attack munitions, such as anti-radiation missiles, GPS-guided bombs, and the long-range AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon glide bombs recently acquired by Taiwan. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence expressed gratitude to US government agencies for making the delivery possible and highlighted Washington's commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and the "six assurances".
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senior Taiwan defence official to visit US for fighter jet ceremony
TAIPEI (Reuters) - One of Taiwan's deputy defence ministers will visit the United States for a ceremony this week marking the completion of a new F-16 fighter jet for the island, the first acknowledged such trip since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. The United States in 2019 approved an $8 billion sale of Lockheed Martin F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan, a deal that would take the island's F-16 fleet to more than 200 jets, the largest in Asia, to strengthen its defences in the face of a stepped up threat from China, which views Taiwan as its own. Taiwan has been converting 141 F-16A/B jets into the F-16V type and has ordered 66 new F-16Vs, which have advanced avionics, weapons and radar systems to better face down the Chinese air force, including its stealthy J-20 fighters. But Taiwan has complained of delays for the new F-16Vs, saying problems include software issues. Speaking to reporters in Taipei on Wednesday, Taiwan air force planning department director Chiang Yuan-chi said the first of the new F-16Vs would leave the factory in the U.S. state of South Carolina this week. A deputy Taiwan defence minister would lead a delegation to attend the ceremony, he added, without naming the minister or giving other details. Taiwan has two deputy defence ministers. "The first F-16V has been assembled," Chiang said, adding the order is expected to be completed by next year. Taiwan's F-16 pilots are trained at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment outside of office hours. Unlike visits to the United States by senior officials from allies like Japan and Britain, conducted openly, those of Taiwanese officials, especially military, are kept low key and often not officially confirmed. Last year, Taiwan's navy chief visited the United States. China has repeatedly called for the United States to end any military contacts with Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The United States is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but the two have no formal diplomatic relations, with Washington recognising only Beijing's government and not Taipei's democratically elected one.
Reuters
26-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Senior Taiwan defence official to visit US for fighter jet ceremony
TAIPEI, March 26 (Reuters) - One of Taiwan's deputy defence ministers will visit the United States for a ceremony this week marking the completion of a new F-16 fighter jet for the island, the first acknowledged such trip since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. The United States in 2019 approved an $8 billion sale of Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan, a deal that would take the island's F-16 fleet to more than 200 jets, the largest in Asia, to strengthen its defences in the face of a stepped up threat from China, which views Taiwan as its own. Taiwan has been converting 141 F-16A/B jets into the F-16V type and has ordered 66 new F-16Vs, which have advanced avionics, weapons and radar systems to better face down the Chinese air force, including its stealthy J-20 fighters. But Taiwan has complained of delays for the new F-16Vs, saying problems include software issues. Speaking to reporters in Taipei on Wednesday, Taiwan air force planning department director Chiang Yuan-chi said the first of the new F-16Vs would leave the factory in the U.S. state of South Carolina this week. A deputy Taiwan defence minister would lead a delegation to attend the ceremony, he added, without naming the minister or giving other details. Taiwan has two deputy defence ministers. "The first F-16V has been assembled," Chiang said, adding the order is expected to be completed by next year. Taiwan's F-16 pilots are trained at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment outside of office hours. Unlike visits to the United States by senior officials from allies like Japan and Britain, conducted openly, those of Taiwanese officials, especially military, are kept low key and often not officially confirmed. Last year, Taiwan's navy chief visited the United States. China has repeatedly called for the United States to end any military contacts with Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The United States is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but the two have no formal diplomatic relations, with Washington recognising only Beijing's government and not Taipei's democratically elected one.
