Taiwan to receive first new F-16V Block 70 jets as China ramps up pressure

After years of postponement, Taiwan is set to receive its inaugural F-16V Block 70 fighters under an $8 billion agreement approved by the United States in 2019. Two of the 66 aircraft have been observed at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, and are now being prepared for delivery. The island already fields a substantial F-16 fleet, having bought 150 early-model jets in the 1990s and later upgraded 141 of them to the F-16V standard through the Phoenix Rising programme.

The new Block 70s, equipped with the AN/APG-83 AESA radar and advanced avionics, will expand Taiwan’s modern combat capability as China intensifies air and naval activity around the island. The decision reflects Taiwan’s reliance on a platform that integrates smoothly with existing training, maintenance and logistics structures, while offering a cost-effective multirole option compared with fifth-generation fighters. Lockheed Martin notes the aircraft’s structural life can reach 12,000 flight hours and benefits from a global support network spanning 29 nations. The acquisition underscores the growing urgency for Taipei to bolster its defence posture amid heightened regional tensions.