Taiwan has begun receiving its first two new-build F-16V Block 70 fighters from a 66-aircraft order, with the jets departing the United States on 17 August and later confirmed en route to the island after stops in Hawaii and Guam. The aircraft, identified as serial numbers 6727 and 6728, are part of a long-delayed programme to strengthen Taiwan’s air defence and are expected to arrive at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung.
The ferry flight from Lockheed Martin’s production line in the United States marks the move from manufacturing into delivery for a procurement valued at about NT$247.2 billion. The new fighters are being transferred with aerial refuelling support and at least one maintenance stop, reflecting the demands of the trans-Pacific route and pilot endurance requirements. The first arrivals also come as Taiwan works to modernise its frontline fleet alongside its upgraded F-16V inventory.
Remaining aircraft are now expected to follow over the next two years, rather than all arriving by the end of 2026 as originally envisaged. The programme has been slowed by production-line changes and supply-chain disruption, but the first operational ferry movement now puts the long-running order into service transfer phase.