Taiwan receives first 2 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets from US | Taiwan News | Oct. 2, 2026 14:07

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan received its first two F-16 Block 70 fighter jets in Taitung County on Friday.

The two single-seat aircraft arrived at Chihhang Air Base, the Air Force Command Headquarters said, per TTV News. The Air Force will begin acceptance procedures, conversion training, and other preparations to bring the new fighters into operational service gradually.

The Air Force established the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing on Dec. 1, 2023, and is organizing its subordinate combat groups in three phases to accommodate the new aircraft. It has also dispatched pilots and ground crew to the US in batches for conversion training, with trained personnel expected to support the arrival and preparation of the new fighters.

The Air Force said 63 F-16V Block 70 fighters were on US production lines, some of which had entered the delivery phase, TTV News reported. Further aircraft will be delivered to Taiwan in stages according to a schedule coordinated with US officials.

The Air Force’s NT$247.22 billion (US$7.75 billion) procurement program, codenamed "Peace Phoenix Soaring," covers the purchase of 66 of the aircraft from the US, per CNA. The first two aircraft departed Texas on Aug. 17. They landed in Hawaii, where they underwent nearly a month and a half of inspections and preparations before flying from Hawaii to Guam on Thursday and continuing to Taiwan.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo said more aircraft would arrive before the end of the year, and that further deliveries would be discussed with the US, per Newtalk. He said many aircraft are still on the production line, while some have passed testing.

Regarding the future deployment of the F-16s, Koo said the military must maintain a strategic focus and that eastern Taiwan is an important location for preserving combat capabilities. He declined to disclose further details.