Taiwan’s defence ministry said Wednesday it will send senior officials to the United States this week for a handover ceremony of its first F-16V fighter jet under a multi-year arms deal.
The visit comes nearly six years after Washington approved the $8 billion deal for 66 warplanes during US President Donald Trump’s first term.
“The first aircraft has now completed its full assembly,” Chiang Yuan-chi, director of the Air Force’s planning division, told a news conference.
Taipei has “assigned a deputy minister to lead an Air Force delegation to the US for the ceremony”, said Chiang.
China has repeatedly protested US arms sales to Taiwan, which it sees as part of its territory.
Beijing has stepped up military pressure in recent years, including near-daily air incursions, and has not ruled out using force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.
Lockheed Martin, the US defence contractor building the jets, plans to hold a rollout ceremony this week at its production line in South Carolina.
The entire production of the aircraft is expected to be completed next year and all jets are scheduled to fly back to Taiwan by the end of 2026.
The F-16V — a fourth-generation multi-role fighter — is a significantly upgraded version of Taiwan’s ageing F-16 A/B jets. Taiwan completed upgrades of 141 older F-16s to the V standard in late 2023.
Washington has sold billions of dollars in weapons to Taipei — including fighter jets, missiles, and warships — as part of its commitment to help the island maintain sufficient self-defence capabilities.
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