According to a publication from a few days ago by the Ministry of Defense of Taiwan, the American company Lockheed Martin is preparing to deliver the first of the 66 new F-16 Block 70s to the Taiwanese Air Force, a milestone that marks the beginning of the induction phase of this fleet intended to strengthen the country’s air capability. The program advances after a series of delays and with the particularity that this variant was configured specifically for Taiwan, which has required an intensive process of integration, testing, and technical adjustments.
The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan reported that the Vice Minister for Policy, Hsu Szu-chien, visited South Carolina on March 16 to inspect the production status of the F-16 Block 70 acquired by the Armed Forces of the Republic of China (official name of Taiwan). During the visit, Lockheed Martin confirmed that hundreds of employees are currently working on the program and that production is already in a two-shift operation phase. The company highlighted that the complexity of the new standard requires a continuous process of flight testing and calibrations to guarantee the quality and operational safety of the aircraft.
According to company officials, the tests include compatibility checks between systems, wiring, and software, with immediate feedback to the assembly line to make adjustments. The aircraft that complete this process and pass Lockheed Martin acceptance tests will subsequently undergo final validation flights by the Government of the United States. The company projects that deliveries will begin before the end of the year, aligning with the previously communicated planning.
Program progress
The first indication of concrete progress in the program was recorded at the end of December, when the first flight tests were carried out for what will be the first F-16 Block 70 destined for Taiwan. This aircraft, identified with the number 6831 and corresponding to the two-seat variant, had already been presented at the beginning of the year during a ceremony in which representatives of the U.S. Congress and Taiwanese defense authorities participated. The aircraft flew for approximately 50 minutes from Greenville, South Carolina, consolidating the transition from taxi tests to the aerial phase.
That test flight was interpreted by analysts in the sector as a clear sign of the beginning of the cycle prior to formal deliveries, especially after the delays that affected the program’s original schedule. The Block 70 is set to progressively replace the Mirage 2000, which already show a significant level of aging compared to current operational demands. The gradual incorporation of the new fighters will contribute to modernizing the fleet and improving defensive capabilities in a regional context of growing tension.
In parallel with industrial progress, Taiwan confirmed at the beginning of March that it began to receive financial returns derived from its participation in the development of the F-16 Block 70 standard. The country became the sole investor in the program after the departure of other partners, resulting in payments exceeding 70 million dollars by the end of last year. Authorities consulted indicated that the returns will continue over the next five years and could reach several hundred million dollars in total.
The Taiwanese contribution focused on two key components of the standard known as Viper: the AESA radar AN/APG-83 and the advanced avionics system, which are complemented by the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS). These improvements position the F-16 Block 70 as the most modern version of the family, reinforcing its projected role as the backbone of Taiwanese combat aviation in the coming decades.
*Cover image obtained from the Ministry of Defense of Taiwan.
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