Taiwan received the US' first F-16V fighter jets on Friday (October 2, 2026) as part of the country's effort to upgrade its military capabilities to counter a potential Chinese attack. It is part of an $8 billion deal which was approved during US President Donald Trump's first term and is scheduled for delivery this year. The island nation made a deal for 66 F-16V fighter jets, which comes after Taiwan awaits Washington's approval of a separate $14 billion arms package that Trump paused after Chinese objections. China has always claimed Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it.<h3>F-16Vs designed and developed by Lockheed Martin</h3>The two F-16Vs, made by Lockheed Martin, arrived at Taiwan's air force base in Taitung. The jets were set to arrive in early September after making refuelling stops in Hawaii and Guam. Several media reports indicated that shortly after taking off for Guam, the planes had turned back to Hawaii. Officials did not explain the delay. Among those waiting was Kimi Chi, a salesman from the central city of Taichung, who had driven through the night so he could photograph the jet touching down in Taitung. Taking the setback in stride, he told AFP that "good things take time," adding that he was confident the aircraft's capabilities would mark a real step up once it arrived.&nbsp;Also read: Trump doesn't rule out invoking Insurrection Act during midterms. What is it and his past threats? "But what we are actually lacking the most right now is pilots. Of course, I hope the government can provide better additional allowances for these military pilots." Former Air Force serviceman Eric Chan, 57, marvelled at the improvements made to the F-16 over the past 30 years and said the fighter jets based in Taitung will "play a very important defensive role" against China. "The threat from the CCP has always been there, so we definitely need to strengthen our defence capabilities," Chan told AFP, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. The F-16V represents a major upgrade over Taiwan's older F-16 A/B fleet, giving the island a more capable fourth-generation multi-role fighter. &nbsp;

The two F-16Vs, made by Lockheed Martin, arrived at Taiwan's air force base in Taitung. The jets were set to arrive in early September after making refuelling stops in Hawaii and Guam.

Taiwan received the US' first F-16V fighter jets on Friday (October 2, 2026) as part of the country's effort to upgrade its military capabilities to counter a potential Chinese attack. It is part of an $8 billion deal which was approved during US President Donald Trump's first term and is scheduled for delivery this year. The island nation made a deal for 66 F-16V fighter jets, which comes after Taiwan awaits Washington's approval of a separate $14 billion arms package that Trump paused after Chinese objections. China has always claimed Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it. F-16Vs designed and developed by Lockheed Martin The two F-16Vs, made by Lockheed Martin, arrived at Taiwan's air force base in Taitung. The jets were set to arrive in early September after making refuelling stops in Hawaii and Guam. Several media reports indicated that shortly after taking off for Guam, the planes had turned back to Hawaii. Officials did not explain the delay. Among those waiting was Kimi Chi, a salesman from the central city of Taichung, who had driven through the night so he could photograph the jet touching down in Taitung. Taking the setback in stride, he told AFP that "good things take time," adding that he was confident the aircraft's capabilities would mark a real step up once it arrived. Also read: Trump doesn't rule out invoking Insurrection Act during midterms. What is it and his past threats? "But what we are actually lacking the most right now is pilots. Of course, I hope the government can provide better additional allowances for these military pilots." Former Air Force serviceman Eric Chan, 57, marvelled at the improvements made to the F-16 over the past 30 years and said the fighter jets based in Taitung will "play a very important defensive role" against China. "The threat from the CCP has always been there, so we definitely need to strengthen our defence capabilities," Chan told AFP, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. The F-16V represents a major upgrade over Taiwan's older F-16 A/B fleet, giving the island a more capable fourth-generation multi-role fighter.

The two F-16Vs, made by Lockheed Martin, arrived at Taiwan's air force base in Taitung. The jets were set to arrive in early September after making refuelling stops in Hawaii and Guam.&nbsp;

Taiwan receives first F-16V fighter jets from US amid tensions with China

The United States Department of Defence (DoD) has recently allocated a contract worth 68.4 million US dollars to an American company for the construction of 50 advanced air-to-ground missiles slated for delivery to Taiwan over the next four years, as reported by Central News Agency Taiwan which cited information from the Department of Defence (DoD).

These missiles, an integral component of an arms sale package sanctioned by Washington in June 2017, are intended for deployment on Taiwan's fleet of F-16V fighter jets to bolster their long-range strike capabilities, according to a release on the website dated Feb. 2.

According to CNA Taiwan, as part of the 68.4 million USD contract under the aegis of the DoD, a division of the American aerospace and defence conglomerate RTX Corp. will manufacture the 50 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Air-to-Ground Missiles for distribution to Taiwan's government within a four-year timeline, according to the announcement.

The bulk of the production will be centred in Tucson, Arizona, where Raytheon Missiles &amp; Defence (RMD) operates, with an anticipated completion date of March 2028, the statement added.

The Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM-154) weighs 1,000 pounds and serves as a precision strike weapon capable of carrying various lethal payloads. It has been integrated into several US-manufactured fighter jets, including Taiwan's F-16 fleet, as per Focus Taiwan

With a standoff range spanning from 12 to 63 nautical miles, the missile can be launched from beyond the range of enemy point defences while effectively engaging and neutralising targets.

Watch | US: Storm triggers floods in California, killing at least 3

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Upon completion, the missiles will be delivered to Taiwan as part of the 2017 arms sale package, valued at 185.5 million USD. The package encompasses JSOW integration, dummy training missiles, missile containers, spare parts, support and test equipment, Joint Mission Planning System updates, and other technical and logistical support services.

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Taiwan's Air Force recently concluded the upgrade of all 141 of its F-16A/B fighter jets to F-16Vs, equipped with advanced avionics such as the APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar, helmet-mounted cueing system, and other flight management and electronic warfare systems.

Furthermore, Taiwan initiated the acceptance of a purchase order for 66 new F-16Vs from the US last year.

The United States Department of Defence (DoD) has recently allocated a contract worth 68.4 million US dollars to an American company for the construction of 50 advanced air-to-ground missiles slated for delivery to Taiwan over the next four years, as reported by Central News Agency Taiwan which cited information from the Department of Defence (DoD).

The United States Department of Defence (DoD) has recently allocated a contract worth 68.4 million US dollars to an American company for the construction of 50 advanced air-to-ground missiles slated for delivery to Taiwan over the next four years, as reported by Central News Agency Taiwan which cited information from the Department of Defence (DoD). These missiles, an integral component of an arms sale package sanctioned by Washington in June 2017, are intended for deployment on Taiwan's fleet of F-16V fighter jets to bolster their long-range strike capabilities, according to a release on the website dated Feb. 2. According to CNA Taiwan, as part of the 68.4 million USD contract under the aegis of the DoD, a division of the American aerospace and defence conglomerate RTX Corp. will manufacture the 50 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Air-to-Ground Missiles for distribution to Taiwan's government within a four-year timeline, according to the announcement. The bulk of the production will be centred in Tucson, Arizona, where Raytheon Missiles & Defence (RMD) operates, with an anticipated completion date of March 2028, the statement added. The Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM-154) weighs 1,000 pounds and serves as a precision strike weapon capable of carrying various lethal payloads. It has been integrated into several US-manufactured fighter jets, including Taiwan's F-16 fleet, as per Focus Taiwan With a standoff range spanning from 12 to 63 nautical miles, the missile can be launched from beyond the range of enemy point defences while effectively engaging and neutralising targets. Watch | US: Storm triggers floods in California, killing at least 3 × Upon completion, the missiles will be delivered to Taiwan as part of the 2017 arms sale package, valued at 185.5 million USD. The package encompasses JSOW integration, dummy training missiles, missile containers, spare parts, support and test equipment, Joint Mission Planning System updates, and other technical and logistical support services. Also Read | US imposes visa restrictions on spyware abusers and manufacturers: Report Taiwan's Air Force recently concluded the upgrade of all 141 of its F-16A/B fighter jets to F-16Vs, equipped with advanced avionics such as the APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar, helmet-mounted cueing system, and other flight management and electronic warfare systems. Furthermore, Taiwan initiated the acceptance of a purchase order for 66 new F-16Vs from the US last year.

US awards contract worth $68.4 million to make fighter jet missiles for Taiwan

Taiwan will take delivery of 50 air-to-ground missiles from the United States by 2028 as it seeks to boost the combat capabilities of its F-16V fighter jets. Watch this report for more details!

Taiwan to get 50 air-to-ground missiles from US