Taiwan’s Legislature has approved a budget for the procurement of 66 F-16V fighter jets from the United States. The Cabinet initially proposed a budget of NT$247.2 billion, allocated over the space of seven years. The budget that the Legislature passed Friday shaves NT$10 million off that initial proposal.
The budget’s approval follows the passage of the Special Act on the Procurement of Updated Fighter Jets in October. This act capped spending for the F-16Vs at NT$250 billion. With the final budget now set, the acquisition of the new fighters can move forward.
Taiwan expects to receive the first batch of new jets in 2023, with the last of the fighters coming in 2026.
The purchase of new fighters is part of a project to enhance Taiwan’s air power. In a separate project, US arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin will work with domestic defense companies to upgrade Taiwan’s fleet of F-16 A/Bs to F-16Vs.