Taiwan receives first F-16V Block 70 fighters on order

Taiwan operates 137 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters upgraded to the F-16V standard between 2017 and 2024. (Chris Stowers/AFP via Getty Images)

The Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) has received the first two of 66 Lockheed Martin F-16V (Viper) Block 70 fighter aircraft ordered from the United States.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on 2 October that the aircraft had landed at Zhihang Air Base in Taitung earlier that day.

“The Air Force has planned, carried out handover and retraining procedures, and progressively implemented various maintenance tasks to ensure that combat capability is gradually established,” the MND said.

The MND released footage and photographs on 3 October showing that the two aircraft are single-seat fighters bearing the tail numbers ‘6727' and ‘6728'. The ministry added that the RoCAF established the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing at Taitung on 1 December 2023 to operate the new fighters and strengthen the service's air-defence capabilities.

The wing has “organised its operational squadrons in three phases and dispatched aircrew and technical maintenance personnel in batches to the United States to undergo conversion training”, the MND said.

Programme history

Taiwan is acquiring 66 Block 70 fighters under its ‘Peace Phoenix Soaring' (Fengxiang) programme. The aircraft will reinforce the RoCAF's fleet of 137 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters upgraded to the F-16V standard between 2017 and 2024 under the ‘Phoenix Rising' (Feng Zhan) programme.

Taiwan allocated TWD247.23 billion (USD7.7 billion) under a special budget covering 2020–26 to acquire the 66 fighters. The programme originally aimed to complete deliveries in 2026.

Janes