On-time delivery of US F-16V fighter jets looks ‘challenging’, Taiwan defence chief warns

Completing the delivery of all 66 F-16V fighter jets ordered from the United States by the end of next year will be “challenging”, Taiwan’s defence minister has conceded, with the island yet to receive any of the aircraft. The admission from Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung highlights growing concerns in Taiwan over delays to one of its most important arms deals with Washington – a programme regarded as essential to bolstering air power as Beijing steps up military pressure on the island. Taiwan and the United States were maintaining “close communication” to address issues surrounding the F-16 programme, Koo told reporters in Taipei on Tuesday. The outlook for the F-16Vs was “already improving” and initial deliveries could begin next year, he said, but acknowledged that completing the full handover on schedule would be “indeed challenging”. However, Taiwan still hoped production and delivery could be sped up, Koo added. Asked whether the ministry would fine the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin over the delays, he declined to comment. Under the procurement plan, 28 of the jets were to roll off the production line this year and another 38 next year, bringing all 66 aircraft to Taiwan by the end of 2026. None has been delivered so far, and both production and shipment schedules have fallen behind. During a legislative session on Monday, Lai Shyh-bao from Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang asked whether deliveries would instead begin in the third quarter of next year and be completed by the fourth. “The risk of [delayed deliveries] is rather high,” responded Lee Ching-jan, chief of staff of the Taiwanese air force. The air force had previously expressed confidence that the programme was on track, with Lee suggesting in June that more than 10 aircraft might be transferred to Taiwan before the year’s end. But by late summer, that optimism had faded. Reports that the first two jets would arrive this month were denied by the force, which later said the planes would reach the island in the fourth quarter. That forecast now appears doubtful. When asked whether Taiwan would continue making payments if the US side failed to deliver on time, Lee said the air force had reserved the full budget but reduced actual payments in 2024 from the planned 75 per cent of the total cost to 61 per cent. The deputy defence minister of Taiwan, Chung Shu-ming, said Washington had shown “sincere willingness” to resolve the backlog in arms deliveries and that the number of delayed cases was “gradually being reduced”. Speaking on the sidelines as the annual US–Taiwan Defence Industry Conference opened in Maryland on Sunday, Chung said Taiwan had provided a list of delayed systems for the US to review and that a dedicated office in Washington was now handling related matters. Also on the sidelines of the conference, Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US–Taiwan Business Council, said only two programmes remained behind schedule – the US$8 billion F-16V project and another smaller deal worth less than US$1 billion. Most of the backlog had been cleared, he said, but did not elaborate on the smaller deal. A defence ministry report presented to Taiwan’s legislature in September revealed a significant backlog worth US$21.54 billion across 18 active arms orders. Of these, one order had been delivered, while 15 were on schedule and two were delayed. Nearly US$4.5 billion worth of systems were in the process of being delivered, the report said. The F-16V delay comes as Taiwan presses ahead with leader William Lai Ching-te’s proposal to build a “T-Dome” multilayered air defence network, modelled after Israel’s “Iron Dome” and the proposed US “Golden Dome”. It would be designed to shield the island from potential missile and rocket attacks by Beijing. “T-Dome is a large-scale project that aims to establish a comprehensive protection network for both military and critical infrastructure,” Chung said in Maryland. He added that Taiwan had asked Washington to help integrate its existing air defence systems and participate in “specific cooperation projects”. At Monday’s legislative meeting in Taipei, the defence ministry confirmed that details of the T-Dome plan would be presented in a special budget to be submitted by the year-end. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) expressed support for the initiative, calling it not just an air defence project but an investment in Taiwan’s resilience and self-reliance. Beijing, which regards Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary, has intensified military and political pressure on the island since Lai, from the independence-leaning DPP, took office as leader in May last year. Most countries – including the US, Taiwan’s main arms supplier and informal security partner – do not recognise the self-governed island as an independent state. Washington, however, is legally bound to provide it with weapons to defend itself and is opposed to any attempt to take the island by force.

On-time delivery of US F-16V fighter jets looks ‘challenging’, Taiwan defence chief warns

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Taiwan was to receive 66 of the Lockheed Martin aircraft by the end of 2026. Not a single one has been delivered

Taiwan was to receive 66 of the Lockheed Martin aircraft by the end of 2026. Not a single one has been delivered