“Delivery of F-16V Fighter Jets from US to Taiwan Postponed due to COVID-19 Pandemic and Supply Chain Problems”

TAIPEI – Delivery of 66 F-16V fighter jets from the United States (US) to Taiwan has been postponed. This was due to production disruptions related to the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain problems.

This was conveyed by the Minister of Defense Taian Chiu Kuo-cheng, Thursday (4/5/2023). The first batch of fighter jets was supposed to be delivered in the fourth quarter of this year, but has been pushed to the third quarter of 2024.

Chiu said authorities asked the US to “fill the gap”, and work with the US embassy on a regular basis in fact in Taipei and using other diplomatic channels.

“We are minimizing the damage,” the minister said, adding that full orders were still expected to be delivered before 2026.

News outlets Focus Taiwanciting Chiu, reported that the $8 billion contract signed in 2019 did not include financial penalties for late delivery and that the US promised to provide parts ahead of schedule.

The new deliveries will bring Taiwan’s F-16 fleet to more than 200 aircraft, making it the largest in Asia.

Taipei is working to upgrade its aircraft in response to soaring tensions with China, with Beijing and Washington accusing each other of a dangerous escalation in the Taiwan Strait and the greater Asia-Pacific.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said on Thursday that 16 jets and nine warships of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were detected near the coast of Taiwan.