After yearslong delay, Taiwan receives first pair of new F-16s

A Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 touches down at Chihhang Airbase in Taiwan. (Photo: Taiwan Military News Agency)

SINGAPORE – The first batch of Taiwan’s new-build Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighter jets have arrived on the island, the country’s military announced today.

Taiwan’s Military News Agency reported that the two jets arrived at Chihhang Airbase near the eastern city of Taitung on Friday. Photos published by the agency showed the two single-seat F-16s carrying the serial numbers 6727 and 6728 landing at the base.

The jets are the first of 66 F-16 Block 70, which were ordered by Taiwan in 2019. The aircraft will join the Republic of China Air Force’s (ROCAF) 7th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Chihhang, replacing the F-5 Tiger II fighter aircraft retired by the unit in 2024.

“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.

Lockheed Martin originally planned to deliver the new F-16s in 2023, but the timeline has slipped repeatedly. The company’s 2019 move of its F-16 production line from Fort Worth, Texas, to Greenville, South Carolina, caused delays as the new facility came online, while supply chain shortages in 2021 pushed deliveries back another year. Then in September 2026, the Block 70 jets were held during stopovers in Hawaii and Guam during delivery flights to Taiwan due to adverse weather.

Taiwan’s ROCAF already operates a fleet of approximately 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 Block 70 aircraft ordered by Taiwan are equipped with the same radar, but can carrying conformal fuel tanks to extend their rang e. The jets are powered by the General Electric F110 engine instead of the Pratt and Whitney F100 engine fitted to its older aircraft.

一架洛克希德·马丁F-16 Block 70战斗机降落在台湾志行空军基地。（图片：台湾军讯社）

新加坡——台湾军方今天宣布，台湾新造的洛克希德·马丁F-16 Block 70战斗机首批已抵达台湾。

台湾军讯社报道称，两架战机于周五抵达位于台东市附近的池行空军基地。该通讯社发布的照片​​显示，两架序列号分别为6727和6728的单座F-16战机降落在该基地。

这批战机是台湾于 2019 年订购的 66 架 F-16 Block 70 战机中的首批。该战机将加入驻扎在池行的中华民国空军第 7 战术战斗机联队，取代该联队于 2024 年退役的 F-5 虎 II 战斗机。

报告称：“空军将按计划进行装备验收和训练，并有条不紊地推进各项准备工作，以确保逐步形成作战能力。”

洛克希德·马丁公司最初计划于2023年交付新型F-16战机，但交付时间一再推迟。该公司于2019年将其F-16生产线从德克萨斯州沃斯堡迁至南卡罗来纳州格林维尔，新工厂投产初期造成了延误；2021年供应链短缺又使交付时间推迟了一年。随后，在2026年9月，由于恶劣天气，Block 70型战机在飞往台湾的途中经停夏威夷和关岛时被迫滞留。

台湾空军目前拥有约 140 架 F-16A/B Block 20 型飞机，这些飞机于 2000 年代初期购入，并已升级配备 AN/APG-83 有源电子扫描阵列 (AESA) 雷达和现代航空电子设备。

台湾订购的66架Block 70型飞机配备了相同的雷达，但可以携带保形油箱以增加航程。这些飞机采用通用电气F110发动机，而不是其老款飞机所使用的普惠F100发动机。