(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) US delivers F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan as island eyes threat from China | Weapons News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/2/us-delivers-f-16v-fighter-jets-to-taiwan-as-island-eyes-threat-from-china)                                                (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/10/2/us-delivers-f-16v-fighter-jets-to-taiwan-as-island-eyes-threat-from-china)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/afp_6abf534cc5a1-1790923596.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/10/afp_6abf534cc5a1-1790923596.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.e3bc53a0.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.a7dc5dd5.r2.chunk.css) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~41c72a2c.3f309873.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~06be7c11.0625e98d.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/pages/article-page~493df0b3.accd71c7.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (us-delivers-f-16v-fighter-jets-to-taiwan-as-island-eyes-threat-from-china@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/aljazeera-originals) Originals   (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News |(https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/weapons/) Weapons   US delivers F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan as island eyes threat from China Amid threats from China, Taipai is growing concerned about the Trump administration’s commitment to arming the island.   Listen   Listen (2 mins)       Save       Share US delivers F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan as island eyes threat from China on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fg91xh0) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=US%20delivers%20F-16V%20fighter%20jets%20to%20Taiwan%20as%20island%20eyes%20threat%20from%20China&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fg91xh0) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fg91xh0) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/g91xh0)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (A newly purchased F-16V Block 70 fighter jet lands at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung on October 2, 2026.)   A newly purchased F-16V Block 70 fighter jet lands at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung on October 2, 2026 [Cheng Yu-Chen/AFP]   (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458)     By  (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458) Al Jazeera Staff , AFPand Reuters   Published On 2 Oct 2026 2 Oct 2026    The United States has delivered two F-16V ⁠Block 70 fighter jets to (https://www.aljazeera.com/where/taiwan/) Taiwan as the island seeks to build its defence capabilities to deter a feared attack by (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/101-east/2026/8/15/is-china-seeking-to-copy-irans-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-around-taiwan) China . The aircraft, built by US defence contractor Lockheed Martin, are part of an (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/8/15/taiwan-passes-defence-budget-after-record-delay-retains-drone-funding) $8bn deal  for 66 F-16Vs approved during President Donald Trump’s first term. They landed on Friday following months of delay due to repeated requests from Beijing to the US to stop (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/9/19/09-19-taiwan-drills-minisv) arming Taiwan . Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/25/from-cheats-to-great-friendship-how-trumps-rhetoric-on-china-changed) From ‘cheats’ to ‘great friendship’: How Trump’s rhetoric on China changed  list 2 of 4 (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/9/28/us-china-list-goods-recommended-for-tariff-cuts-following-trump-xi-summit) US, China list goods recommended for tariff cuts following Trump-Xi summit  list 3 of 4 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/26/china-us-to-open-ai-communication-channel-after-summit-white-house-says) China, US to open AI ‘communication channel’ after summit  list 4 of 4 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news-analysis/2026/9/28/arming-an-adversary-why-trump-offer-to-sell-china-weapons-belies-us-policy) Arming an adversary: Why Trump’s offer to sell China weapons belies US policy   end of list  The jets, which flew via Hawaii and Guam, touched down at noon (04:00 GMT) local time. They arrived a week after (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/9/25/what-the-trump-xi-meeting-revealed-about-global-power) Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington . Taiwan is eyeing a rising military threat from Beijing, ⁠which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory. “Of course we won’t only have delivered these two [F-16Vs] by the end of the year,” Minister of National Defence Wellington Koo said.      The arrival of the planes comes amid growing concern in Taiwan about the Trump administration’s commitment to arming Taipei. The US is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to ‌defend itself, but the two have no formal diplomatic relations. Trump said in May, after meeting Xi in Beijing, that he was holding out on a new $14bn package for Taiwan, though he did approve one worth $11bn in December 2025. Washington has said there has been no ‌change in policy. “We continue standing with friends ‌and allies across the Indo-Pacific to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values — that includes Taiwan,” a US State Department spokesperson said when asked about the delivery. Advertisement    The F-16Vs, which received an upgrade in 2023, have advanced avionics, weapons and radar systems to better ⁠counter the Chinese air force, including its  J-20 stealth fighters. However, Washington has been unwilling to provide Taiwan with its most advanced fighters, such as the F-22 or F-35.            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss     (https://bsky.app/profile/aljazeera.com) bluesky     (https://www.tiktok.com/@aljazeeraenglish) tiktok-colored-outline                  (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network