Delayed F-16V jets could leave Taiwan with defense gap, says expert

Taiwan’s purchase of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets from the United States is facing delays, which may create a defense gap for Taiwan.

Taiwan's defense minister, Koo Li-hsiung (顧立雄), said in November that the US is expected to complete the assembly of ten F-16V Block 70 fighter jets by the end of this year, but delivering all 66 jets ordered by 2026 remains a challenge.

Dr. Chieh Chung (揭仲) of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) told TCN that the delayed delivery may leave Taiwan facing an air defense gap from 2027 to 2028.

Taiwan could face an air defense gap

In 2019, Taiwan's legislature passed the Special Act for New Fighters Acquisition and its accompanying budget, allocating NT$247.24 billion (approximately US$7.9 billion) for the purchase of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets from the United States. The implementation period was set from 2020 to 2026.

Dr. Chieh Chung noted that the purchase was funded through a special budget to ensure all aircraft would be delivered by the end of 2026, a timeline chosen to address the expected cross-strait air power gap after 2027.

Chieh said the plan was to combine the 66 new F-16V Block 70s with 141 upgraded F-16V Block 20s. This would give Taiwan a fleet of more than 200 advanced fighter jets equipped with modern radar, LINK-16 real-time data sharing, and battlefield situational awareness capabilities.

Together with the gradual upgrade of ground radar systems, it is hoped that Taiwan's fighters will counter the growing threat posed by advanced stealth aircraft operated by China's People’s Liberation Army, Chieh added.

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control, but Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) sees itself as a sovereign state with its own constitution and democratically elected government.

He noted that, considering logistics and training factors, it typically takes at least a year and a half from the time aircraft are delivered to when they achieve operational capability.

“If by the end of 2026 most of the F-16V Block 70s have not yet entered service,” Dr. Chieh stated, “Taiwan will face at least a two-year gap in air combat capability, and the MND and the Air Force will need to consider measures to bridge this shortfall.”



The MND acknowledged the delay

On November 3, the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee of Taiwan's legislature, the Legislative Yuan, invited the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to present a special report titled “Analysis of Delays in Recent Military Construction Projects and Procurement Cases, and Concrete Countermeasures.”

In the report, the MND stated that the F-16V Block 70s were originally scheduled to be delivered and flown back to Taiwan by 2026.

Yet, complex factors such as production line relocation, restarting of operations, and supply chain disruptions have created delivery risks. The US side has since adopted a two-shift, 20-hour work schedule to accelerate production.

The MND added that Taiwan will continue strengthening oversight of contract fulfillment. Both Taiwan and the United States are conducting close coordination through various meetings, and Taiwan has asked the U.S. to adjust payment schedules based on production progress to avoid early payments before equipment delivery, ensuring Taiwan’s interests are protected.

The deadline for full delivery remains unknown

After the MND's presentation, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Loh Meei-ling (羅美玲) asked about the exact delivery schedule of the F-16V Block 70s.

Minister Koo responded, “We cannot give a definite date for when all the aircraft will be delivered. However, we expect that ten jets will be assembled by the end of this year, after which they will undergo test flights.”

He continued, “Once tests are completed successfully, delivery will follow. There are currently 50 aircraft under assembly, and we are continuously monitoring progress.”

He added that issues relating to assembly and test flights are part of the reason for the delay. Nonetheless, he assured that deliveries of some F-16Vs will definitely begin next year.

Kuomintang (KMT) party legislator and retired ROC Navy Admiral Chen Yeong-kang (陳永康) questioned whether, at the time of signing the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA), the US had informed Taiwan of plans to relocate the production line.

The MND replied, “No.”

Chen said that since the production line relocation was not mentioned in the LOA, the resulting disruptions occurred without any warning from the US side.

He also emphasized that the MND on-site representatives in the US factories should include more professional personnel and not reduce staffing to save costs.

These representatives, he said, should promptly report any issues discovered during project management, maintain communication with the US side, and, when necessary, return to Taiwan to provide special project briefings.