With China claiming Taiwan as part of its territory, Taiwan is stepping up its defence capabilities in the face of further threats from China. The island’s air force now operates the most advanced version of the F-16 fighter jet.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen commissioned into service 64 enhanced F-16 V fighter jets at an air force base in Chiayi on Thursday. There are 141 F-16 A/B jets in Taiwan’s fleet, an older model from the 1990s scheduled for complete retrofitting by the end of 2023.
As part of its increase in its threat, Beijing has been sending fighter jets into Taiwan’s buffer zone southwest of the island regularly, as well as longer-range missions into the western Pacific.
A highly capable radar allows the F-16 V to track more than 20 targets simultaneously, making it the most technologically advanced version of the storied multi-role fighter jet. Additionally, it has cutting-edge electronic warfare system, advanced weapons, precise GPS navigation, and a system to avoid collisions with the ground.
