Taiwan‘s defence ministry said on Friday it was aiming for delivery of the first new F-16V fighter jets by the end of this year, blaming “acute fluctuations” in the international situation for delays in the island receiving them.
The United States in 2019 approved an $8 billion sale of Lockheed Martin F-16 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 J-20 stealth fighter.
But Taiwan has complained of delays for the new F-16Vs, saying problems include software issues.
In an update on the deliveries, Taiwan’s defence ministry said the first batch of new F-16Vs was meant to have been sent in the third quarter of this year.
“Because of acute fluctuations in the international situation, which have resulted in a compound impact such as delays in deliveries of some suppliers and adjustments to the U.S. assembly schedule, there has been a partial adjustment in when they will leave the factory,” it said in a statement.But Taiwan has complained of delays for the new F-16Vs, saying problems include software issues.
In an update on the deliveries, Taiwan’s defence ministry said the first batch of new F-16Vs was meant to have been sent in the third quarter of this year.
“Because of acute fluctuations in the international situation, which have resulted in a compound impact such as delays in deliveries of some suppliers and adjustments to the U.S. assembly schedule, there has been a partial adjustment in when they will leave the factory,” it said in a statement.
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