First two new F-16V Block 70s to arrive in Taiwan | Taiwan News | Oct. 1, 2026 20:31

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first two of Taiwan’s new F-16V Block 70 fighter jets are expected to arrive within a few days, according to DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇).

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Wang said the two F-16Vs have taken off from Hawaii and will land at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung either Friday or Saturday. The aircraft arrived in Hawaii in August and were stranded due to weather and other factors, per Liberty Times.

The US approved the sale of 66 F-16V Block 70s to Taiwan in 2019, with deliveries originally scheduled to begin in 2023. Wang explained that the delivery of all 66 new F-16Vs has been delayed due to the integration of new systems.

“Although foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions and do not include financial penalties for delays, Taiwan has repeatedly urged the US to provide compensation,” he said.

Taipei has proposed non-cash compensation, such as increasing the number of spare parts provided during the initial two-year support period or extending the warranty, he said, adding that the US government is negotiating with Lockheed Martin.

All 66 fighter jets will become part of the Air Force’s Seventh Tactical Fighter Wing and bolster air defense in eastern Taiwan, according to Liberty Times.

Block 70 variants have a longer airframe service life and are outfitted with F110-GE-129 engines capable of producing up to 29,500 pounds of afterburning thrust, per Liberty Times. They are also equipped with conformal fuel tanks and the AN/APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array, which enhance long-range targeting and tracking.