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The Block 70 aircraft is a new F-16 version with new avionics, a modern cockpit, and a steering engine.
The United States is looking for ways to speed up shipping Taiwan’s next generation of new F-16 fighter jetsU.S. officials said, urging Taiwanese military forces to respond to what Washington and Taipei see as a serious threat to Chinese troops.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that they had not found a solution to the speed limit of Block 70 F-16s, developed by Lockheed Martin and had new technology. The data is expected to be shipped by the end of 2026.
The Taiwanese government has secretly announced its intention to immediately bring in US President Joe Biden, the head of the Taiwanese government, as the island’s self-governing army pushes for a plane to take off. banning the growing number of Chinese warplanes.
More missions mean damage to Taiwanese airlines.
“Everything just looks at the dangers … and it is clear where the danger lies,” the Taiwanese government official said, referring to the disputes on the Taiwan Strait border between China and China. The F-16 is known as a highly maneuverable aircraft that is certified in air warfare and airstrikes.
Taiwan is in the process of developing one of Asia’s largest F-16 ships soon to arrive 66 new F-16 C / D Block 70 new aircraft under the $ 8bn contract approved in 2019. It would account for the total number of F-16s on the island, including the old ones, by more than 200 by 2026.
The Block 70 aircraft is a new F-16 version, with new avionics, a modern cockpit and a better engine, according to Lockheed Martin.
The speedy transfer of the aircraft will be seen in Beijing by political means, according to Abraham Denmark, a former Pentagon official.
“It is another clear sign of US determination to support Taiwan’s defense,” added Denmark, who is now an expert at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington.
Made by China
Although it does not have a stable relationship with Taiwan, the US is the island’s largest supplier and arms supplier. The defense alliance has angered China, which has added to the pressure on the military and embassies on the island, which it claims to be a “sacred” part of China.
In the face of Chinese pressure, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen prioritized arms, which are heavily armed but less than Chinese troops.
Lockheed Martin declined to comment on future requests to change the manufacturing process, and to answer questions from the US government and the Ministry of Security in Taiwan.
The U.S. State Department, which oversees foreign military trade, has declined to comment on internal talks on a change in turnaround time.
The Taiwanese military did not respond to any queries regarding emergency deployment but told Reuters that major equipment purchased by Taiwanese troops “was designed according to the actual military requirements and planning process”.
The U.S. sale of F-16s in Taiwan was regulated by U.S. law and “based on Taiwan’s security and China-based security threats, as has been the case for more than 40 years,” a Pentagon spokesman said. words.
Chinese aviation operations are worrying the Taiwanese military, which last year suffered several setbacks, including three fatal accidents. Over time, the cost of fuel, fatigue of pilots and the loss of Taiwanese aircraft could threaten the military’s preparedness on the island if this pressure continues, Taiwan and US military experts said.
In March, a Taiwanese official said Taiwanese military had stopped directing all Chinese flights.
The Taiwanese military last week suspended all F-16 fighter jets after a recently modified fighter jet crashed into the sea several times.
“They (the Chinese people) have exhausted their enemy without firing,” said Derek Grossman, a security expert at RAND Corporation.
In 2020, the Taiwanese military hit jets about 2,972 times against Chinese aircraft at a cost of US $ 905m.
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