Chiayi: Taiwan has mobilized the most sophisticated version of the F-16 fighter jet in the Air Force, because the island that is governed itself stepped onto the ability of his defense in the face of a sustainable threat from China, which claimed as part of his territory.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen was assigned to the service 64 F-16V fighter jet upgrades at the Air Force Base in Chiayi on Thursday.
The aircraft is part of the total Taiwan Taiwan A / B a / b jet, a model older than the 1990s which will be fully installed at the end of 2023.
Tsai said the project increase showed the strength of Taiwan cooperation with the US defense industry.
It comes at the time of the island status has become the main voltage point in US-Chinese relations.
Beijing has increased its threat by sending combat jets in combat formation to the Taiwan buffer zone to southwest of the island regularly, along with a long-range mission to the Western Pacific.
China has also increased his retort, with President XI Jinping told President Joe Biden during this week’s virtual summit which challenged Chinese claims to end with fire.
China and Taiwan separated during the civil war in 1949, and Beijing did not rule out the power to reunite with the island.
The “One China” policy of the United States recognizes Beijing as the Chinese government but allows informal relationships and defense relationships with Taipei.
“This represents a firm promise of the Taiwan-US partnership,” Tsai said.
“I believe that in holding rapid values ​​to democratically, there will definitely be more countries with similar values ​​that will stand with us on this front.” F-16V is the most advanced version of multi-role fighter jets, which is equipped with a very capable radar, allowing it to track more than 20 targets at once.
It is also equipped with cutting-edge electronic war systems, along with advanced weapons, precision GPS navigation and systems to automatically avoid collisions with land.
The planes represent the fourth generation of fourth fighter aircraft, but still under the latest fifth generation such as the US F-22 and F-35, and Su-57 Russia and China J-20.
Taiwan has brought the idea of ​​buying a fifth generation aircraft from the US but the F-16 upgrade was decided as the most effective action in the current situation.
The Taiwan Air Force also operates French Dassault Mirage 2000 and domestically designed AID-CK F-CK fighters for a total of around 400.
China, on the contrary, operating around 1,600 fighters, about half of them bordering Taiwan’s East and South Theater , along with around 450 bombers.
China’s superiority in the quality and quantity of fighter aircraft is seen as rotating military balance in the Taiwan Strait for its benefit, regardless of the involvement by the troops A.S.
With the planned upgrade and shipping of 66 F-16V new in 2023, Taiwan will be the largest F-16 operator in Asia, Kitsch Liao said, military consultant and cyber consultant for Doublethink Lab, organizations targeting disinformation.
This means the island must invest in the repair center for jets to increase readiness, Liao said.
Previously, Taiwan had to send a jet to another country to be repaired.
In Chiayi, the pilot at the F-16 showed off complex maneuvers on Thursday, flying low across the sky.
Sandra Oudkirk, Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the De Facto Embassy in Taiwan was also present.