Taiwan receives first two new F-16V fighter jets at Taitung base

Delivery marks first new aircraft since 1997

The aircraft flew from the United States via Hawaii and Guam before landing at noon local time. This delivery represents the first new F-16s received by the island since the original fleet began arriving in 1997. The planes are part of a larger order approved in August 2019 that includes 66 jets.

Officials note delays and future arrivals

Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated that additional new F-16Vs will arrive soon, though he did not provide specific details. The delivery comes after months of issues including software problems affected the schedule for these weapons ordered from the United States.

Political reaction follows recent summit

The ruling party welcomed the arrival as a sign of continuing US support despite the meeting between President Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. The opposition KMT criticized the delays to the fighter programme while noting the significance of the delivery.