The F-16Vs can carry Raytheon Technologies Corp’s advanced AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
Gia Nghia:
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen praised military cooperation with Washington on Thursday as she commissioned the first combat wing of an upgraded F-16 fighter jet with US help to strengthens the island’s defenses amid rising tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
Regular Chinese and US military exercises in the region have raised fears of conflict due to the crisis over democratically ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as territory. own.
Mr. Tsai said at a ceremony at an air base in Chiayi City, southern Taiwan to showcase their most advanced fleet of F-16s, the F-16V, that the project demonstrates a commitment to firmness of the Taiwan-US partnership.
“I believe that as long as we adhere to the values of democracy and freedom, there will be many like-minded countries standing on the same lines as us,” she said, taking the stage with the top diplomat. of the United States in Taiwan, Sandra Oudkirk.
The United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is the island’s main supplier of weapons and international support, to the ire of Beijing.
The T$110 billion ($3.96 billion) F-16 upgrade is led by manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp and Taiwan Aerospace Industry Development Corporation (AIDC), and is a new example. military cooperation between Washington and Taipei.
Taiwan has converted 141 F-16A/B jets to F-16Vs, 64 of which have been upgraded and has ordered 66 new F-16Vs with avionics, weapons new weapons and radars to better face the Chinese Air Force, including the country’s J-20 stealth fighter.
The F-16Vs can carry Raytheon Technologies Corp’s advanced AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
In the background of dance music played over the airbase, the F-16s showed off their metal in combat as they took off and landed, and flew in low formation above the runway.
Tsai said that as more and more F-16Vs are put into service, Taiwan’s defenses will be “even stronger”.
Taiwan’s air force is well-trained but limited by China.
In 2019, the United States approved an $8 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, a deal that would bring the island’s F-16 fleet to more than 200 jets, the largest in Asia.
China has announced sanctions against Lockheed Martin for selling arms to Taiwan.
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