Taiwan Receives New-build F-16V, Enhancing Combat Capability Against China

Taiwan’s newly ordered F-16V fighter jets from the United States saw its first twin-seat aircraft officially delivered on March 28. Taiwan’s Deputy Minister of National Defense, Pai Hong-hui, and the representative in the U.S., Bill Yu, were present at the ceremony to witness the event.

The twin-seat F-16V fighter aircraft delivered to Taiwan features a significantly larger and elongated avionics bay on its back, extending from the rear of the cockpit all the way to the vertical tail, a unique design of the new F-16D twin-seater compared to Taiwan’s upgraded F-16V under the Phoenix Rising project. Additionally, specialized conformal fuel tanks for extended range on the F-16C/D new aircraft are also situated on both sides of the aircraft’s back, which were not showcased during the delivery ceremony.

To ensure the long-term operational capability and overpowering combat effectiveness of the F-16 fighter jets, the U.S. military has continuously upgraded and modernized them. The upgrades mainly focus on two aspects: extending the life span of the airframe and upgrading the avionics systems. The F-16V meets fourth-and-a-half generation standards in radar, avionics, and electronic warfare.

On April 1, the U.S. State Department approved a military sale to the Philippines, including 20 F-16 aircraft and related equipment, valued at $5.58 billion. Recently, President Trump also greenlighted Turkey’s order of 40 F-16V aircraft.

In recent years, amid frequent confrontations with China in the South China Sea, the Philippines has been strengthening its defense cooperation with the U.S., Japan, and Australia while acquiring new naval and air force equipment to enhance its control capabilities over the islands in the South China Sea. With the delivery and commissioning of the first batch of South Korean F/A-50 fighter jets in 2017, the Philippines is further bolstering its air force strength by procuring another 12 second-batch F/A-50 jets as well as 20 F-16V aircraft. This move is expected to significantly enhance the Philippine Air Force’s ability to counter threats from the Chinese Air Force.

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