Taiwan to receive 1st batch of F-16Vs almost a year later than expected
ROC Central News Agency
05/03/2023 07:13 PM
Taipei, May 3 (CNA) Taiwan will receive the first two of 66 F-16V fighters it purchased from the United States almost a year later than originally scheduled, with the U.S. side citing the late delivery as being caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Wednesday.
In a report sent to lawmakers before Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) is set to field questions at a Legislative hearing Thursday, the MND said Taiwan has purchased 66 new F-16Vs fighter jets and the delivery of the first two -- one single, one two-seat model -- was set to take place before the end of this year.
However, the ministry said that it was recently notified by the U.S. side that the delivery will be postponed until the third quarter of 2024, with the U.S. citing the pandemic as the reason for the delay.
The delay will have no impact on the delivery of the 66 F-16V fighters which will still be completed as scheduled by the end of 2026, the MND said in its report.
According to the MND, Taiwan has been asking the U.S. to sell it more advanced fighter jets since 2003. The Donald Trump administration finally approved the sale of 66 F-16Vs in 2019.
The U.S. Air Force formed an ad hoc office responsible for the project in March 2020 before a first meeting on the project was held in July the same year.
Taiwan's government has allocated a total of NT$247.2 billion (US$ 80.5 million) to make the purchase, the MND added.
In addition to the 66 new F-16Vs, Taiwan also began a program in 2016 to retrofit all of its existing 140 F-16A/Bs into the more advanced F-16V format, which is expected to be completed later this year, according to the MND.
(By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh)
Enditem/AW
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