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Taiwan Bolsters Air Defense with Delayed F-16 Deliveries

Analyst 207||Source: BreakingDefense
Two F-16 Block 70 fighter jets sit on a tarmac at an airbase under a clear sky.

“The Air Force will proceed with the equipment acceptance and training as planned, and systematically advance various preparations to ensure the gradual formation of combat capability,” the report said.

Chihhang Airbase: first pair touch down

The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) announced that two newly built Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighters arrived at Chihhang Airbase near Taitung on Friday. Photographs published by the country’s Military News Agency showed single-seat jets bearing serial numbers 6727 and 6728 touching down at the eastern base. These two aircraft are the first delivery from a 66-aircraft order placed in 2019.

Assignment to the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing and unit turnover

The arriving Block 70s will join the ROCAF’s 7th Tactical Fighter Wing, which is based at Chihhang. The new aircraft are slated to replace the F-5 Tiger II fighters that the unit retired in 2024. The military statement makes clear the next steps are formal equipment acceptance and crew training as part of a staged process intended to “ensure the gradual formation of combat capability.”

Why deliveries were delayed: manufacturing moves, supply chains, and weather

Lockheed Martin originally planned to deliver these jets in 2023, but the timeline slipped for multiple reasons identified in the reporting. The company’s 2019 relocation of its F-16 production line from Fort Worth, Texas, to Greenville, South Carolina, slowed output as the new facility came online. Supply chain shortages in 2021 pushed deliveries back another year. Most recently, in September 2026, planned delivery flights were held during stopovers in Hawaii and Guam because of adverse weather. Those cumulative delays meant the first pair reached Taiwan in October 2026 rather than the company’s initial schedule.

Airframe, radar, and engines: what differentiates the Block 70s

The incoming Block 70 fighters carry equipment choices that distinguish them from Taiwan’s existing F-16 fleet. Taiwan already operates roughly 140 F-16A/B Block 20 aircraft acquired in the early 2000s that have been upgraded with the AN/APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and modern avionics. The 66 new Block 70 aircraft are fitted with the same AN/APG-83 AESA radar but add options that change range and propulsion: they can carry conformal fuel tanks to extend range and are powered by the General Electric F110 engine instead of the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine used on the older Block 20s.

What this means for the Republic of China Air Force, Lockheed Martin, and regional planners

  • Republic of China Air Force: The service will focus on phased equipment acceptance and pilot and maintenance training to form a new operational capability at the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing. The Block 70s’ conformal fuel tanks and different engine type will introduce new sustainment, logistics, and training requirements as the unit transitions from retiring F-5 Tiger IIs to operating modern F-16s.
  • Lockheed Martin and defense supply chain managers: The delivery underscores the ripple effects of production relocations and supply-chain disruptions. The company’s move of production from Fort Worth to Greenville and subsequent material shortages in 2021 contributed to multi-year slippages; weather interruptions during transit also affected the final leg to Taiwan.
  • Regional planners and force synoptics: The arrival of the first Block 70s represents the tangible start of a 66-aircraft buildup ordered in 2019. Observers tracking force composition will note the integration of AESA-equipped Block 70s and the retirement of F-5 Tiger IIs from at least this wing as immediate, observable changes to operational posture at Chihhang.

The delivery of serials 6727 and 6728 marks the opening chapter of a larger procurement that has taken shape over several years. With formal acceptance and training now underway, the next milestones will be the pace and frequency of further deliveries and the timeline by which the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing declares an initial operational capability using the Block 70s. Those subsequent steps will determine how rapidly the new aircraft shift from arrival photos to active service.

Original story: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/10/after-yearslong-delay-taiwan-receives-first-pair-of-new-f-16s/

AerospaceAir DefenseEmerging ThreatsLockheed MartinMilitary ProcurementNational SecurityTaiwanDefense AcquisitionF-16Republic Of China Air Force
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