Taipei: Defense Minister Wellington Koo announced that the delivery of Taiwan’s order of 66 American-made F-16 Block 70 fighter jets is facing delays due to production problems, although some jets may still be delivered on schedule next year.

According to Focus Taiwan, Koo revealed during a hearing of the Legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee that 50 of the F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, produced by Lockheed Martin in the United States, are currently under assembly. He noted that by the end of this year, 10 of these jets, also known as F-16Vs, are expected to complete assembly and proceed to test flights before being shipped to Taiwan.

In response to inquiries from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Loh Mei-ling and others, Koo stated that while the original schedule aimed for all 66 jets to arrive by the end of 2026, the U.S. is unlikely to meet this timeline due to production disruptions. He assured that efforts are being made to expedite the process, with assembly work occurr
ing in two shifts, covering 20 hours a day.

Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Ching-jan explained that the delivery process involves sending Taiwanese personnel to the U.S. for inspections and training before the jets can be flown back to Taiwan. He confirmed that more than one jet is expected to be delivered next year, based on the latest U.S. report.

To address financial concerns amid the delays, Koo mentioned that Taiwan has withheld further payments since the first quarter of 2024. Payments had been made for the production line setup and material sourcing, but further payments have been deferred by agreement with the U.S. until the jets’ delivery schedule improves.

KMT lawmaker Ma Wen-chun highlighted that Taiwan has paid approximately US$4.87 billion of the total US$8 billion estimated cost for the 66 fighter jets.