The US Department of State on Thursday denied reports that Washington had considered canceling its sale of F-16 jets to Taiwan.
The denial came following a claim by US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers that the administration of US President Joe Biden “took a hard look” last year at canceling Taiwan’s F-16V sale package announced in 2019, because it was not compatible with the US’ “so-called ‘asymmetric approach’” regarding Taiwan’s defense.
He added that the sale was allowed to proceed, because the legal barriers to canceling it were too great.
Photo: CNA
Aside from the F-16vs, the Biden administration’s security assistance has focused “on munitions and sustainment of legacy systems,” he said.
However, in an e-mailed statement, a State Department spokesperson rebutted the claims, calling them false and reiterating the US’ strong support for Taiwan updating its aging F-16 fleet and acquiring new aircraft, “in line with our longstanding policy to help Taiwan maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.”
“This policy has remained consistent across eight different US administrations and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the spokesperson added.
In August 2019, the US government announced a program to sell 66 F-16 C/D Block 70 jets, known as F-16Vs, to Taiwan in a potential US$8 billion package, a move that shows “better-than-ever” bilateral ties, despite the two ending official diplomatic relations 40 years ago.
According to the estimate made at the time of announcement of the fighter jet sale to Taiwan, the first two F-16Vs under the program would be delivered to Taipei this year, and the delivery would be completed at the end of 2026.
However, the US Air Force said in a statement in May that the delivery of the first two F-16 jets would be delayed because of “complex developmental challenges.”
It added that the US government, Taiwan and Lockheed Martin Corp “are actively working to mitigate these delays.”
In Taipei, the Ministry of National Defense attributed the delays of the first two F-16s to US efforts to improve the software used in the fighter jets, and that the delivery of the first batch was now scheduled for the third quarter of next year.
However, all of the 66 F-16s would be delivered by the end of 2026, as scheduled, the ministry said.
On Wednesday, the US government approved a proposed US$500 million sale of infrared search and track systems and other related equipment for the F-16s to Taiwan, marking the 11th US arms sale to the country since Biden took office in 2021.
The last time the US sold Taiwan fighter jets was in 1992, when then-US president George H.W. Bush announced the sale of 150 F-16 A/B jets.
Since then, the jets have served as the backbone of the nation’s air force.
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