It turns out that the delivery of American F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan may face further delays. This comes despite earlier contracts stipulating that deliveries were to begin in 2024 and conclude by 2026.
Both the island's Air Force command and its representative in the U.S., Yu Da-you, have acknowledged the issue. The delays affect the 66 aircraft ordered in 2019 in the latest Block 70/72 configuration, which the U.S. attributes to broader challenges in ramping up production.
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Interestingly, although the initial 2024 delivery never happened, the official deadline for completing the order remains the end of 2026 a goal that now appears increasingly unrealistic.
Back in the spring of 2025, Lockheed Martin showcased the first new Taiwanese F-16, and a batch of 10 aircraft was expected by year's end. However, there has been no public confirmation that these planes have actually been delivered, raising concerns that even this limited milestone might be missed.
Even if the first few jets arrive on time, there's serious doubt about the feasibility of delivering the remaining 56 aircraft within 2026. The current production rate simply doesn't support that scale.
Still, Taiwan wont be left without modern airpower. The purchase of 66 new F-16Vs represents only the second phase of its modernization plan, intended to replace aging Mirage 2000s and retired F-5 Tigers.
The first phase dubbed Peace Phoenix Rising involved upgrading 144 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters to the advanced Block 70/72 Viper standard. Reports indicate that 139 of these jets have already completed modernization.
Overall, this serves as an important lesson on how delays in U.S. aircraft production continue to ripple across allied nations. Fortunately for Taiwan, its modernization program mitigates the impact unlike Bulgaria and Slovakia, which spent up to six years waiting for new fighters or had to operate with none at all.
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