US Delivers Two F-16V Fighter Jets to Taiwan After Months of Delay

The United States has delivered two F-16V Block 70 fighter jets to Taiwan, in a move that comes amid renewed concern on the island over Washington's commitment to its defence. The aircraft landed on Friday at noon local time, after flying via Hawaii and Guam, according to the supplied report. They are part of a larger arms package intended to strengthen Taiwan's air defences as it faces pressure from China.

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The jets are part of an $8bn deal for 66 F-16Vs approved during Donald Trump's first term. Their arrival followed months of delay, with the report saying Beijing had repeatedly asked Washington to stop arming Taiwan. The delivery also came a week after Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, adding to the sensitivity around the timing.

Taiwan's defence minister, Wellington Koo, said the island would not only receive these two aircraft by the end of the year. The delivery matters because Taiwan sees a rising military threat from Beijing, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory. The F-16V Block 70 is an upgraded version of the fighter, with advanced avionics, weapons and radar systems designed to help counter the Chinese air force, including J-20 stealth fighters.

The United States is legally bound to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, even though the two sides do not have formal diplomatic relations. The arrival also comes against a backdrop of uncertainty in Taiwan about the Trump administration's approach to arms sales. The report says Trump said in May, after meeting Xi in Beijing, that he was holding back a new $14bn package for Taiwan, although he did approve a separate $11bn package in December 2025.

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Washington has said there has been no change in policy, and a State Department spokesperson said the US continues to stand with friends and allies across the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan. That message is likely to be closely watched in Taipei, where military support from the US is seen as central to deterrence. The F-16V programme is part of Taiwan's wider effort to modernise its air force and maintain a credible defence posture.

The island has long relied on US-made weapons systems, but Washington has been unwilling to provide its most advanced fighters, such as the F-22 or F-35. That limits Taiwan's options even as it seeks to narrow the gap with China's expanding military capabilities. What remains unclear is how quickly the rest of the 66-aircraft package will be delivered and whether the delay will affect Taiwan's broader defence planning.

The report does not say when the next jets will arrive, only that more deliveries are expected before the end of the year. The timing of future transfers, and any reaction from Beijing, will be closely monitored in the coming weeks.

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