Taiwan completes F-16 upgrade programme as delivery timeline of new jets remains in doubt
Lockheed Martin has been wrestling with a backlog of 128 fighters which was set to increase to 148. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
The Taiwanese air force has completed its six-year-long F-16 upgrade programme as the country awaits delivery of 66 new F-16V Block 70 fighter jets.
The Republic of China Air Force’s (ROCAF's) F-16 Phoenix Rising upgrade programme has come to an end after six years. A successful flight testing on the last of its fourth-generation fighters that had been upgraded to F-16V standard marked the completion of the upgrade programme.
Under the improvement efforts, all 141 remaining ROCAF F-16s were upgraded from F-16A/B to F-16A/B Block 72 V – except the one that had to be written off after a crash on 11 January 2021.
Taiwan is set to become the largest Asian F-16 fighter operator. The island nation ordered 66 F-16Vs from the US
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