fredag 19. november 2021

Taiwan unveils new F-16V fighter jets amid military threats from China

Taiwan on Thursday showed off its newest military hardware -- upgraded F-16 fighter jets that would be at the heart of the island's defense in the event of an air attack from China. The F-16s screamed across the sky at Chiayi Air Base on the island's southwestern coast as pilots performed aerial maneuvers to demonstrate the capabilities of Taiwan's first squadron of US-made F-16V, or Viper, fighter jets.

The planes were upgraded from older F-16A/B fighter jets, originally acquired by Taiwan in the 1990s, and are equipped with advanced radar systems and new mission computers, according to the official Central News Agency (CNA). The island has plans to upgrade 141 fighters to the newer version by 2023, it added.