With 200+ F-16 Vipers, Taiwan ‘Muscling Up’ Its Air Force But Is Woefully Short

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".lxssn-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 10px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

At the time, the Taiwanese Air Force announced that Taipei carried

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".kblcz-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 10px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

The Air Force personnel reportedly outfitted an F-16V fighter with a US-made anti-ship missile

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".niedw-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 10px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

as part of a “combat readiness” exercise

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".fllne-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 14px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

The island state awaits the US delivery of about 66 F-16V fighter jets

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".tnsqm-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 14px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

However, it is also concurrently facing a personnel shortage

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".fpggn-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 10px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

The report states that the Taiwanese military has struggled for years

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".xplic-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 10px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

American-made F-16s almost daily to intercept Chinese fighter jets

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".nfzop-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 10px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

Taiwan is upgrading 141 F-16A/B jets into F-16Vs

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".zcmim-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 10px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]

This will make it the largest F-16 fleet in the Asia Pacific region

img source: gettyimage [{ "selector": ".armbo-a", "duration": "250ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "500ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "transform": "translateX(calc(360px - 10px))", "opacity": "1"}, {"offset": 1, "transform": "translateX(0)", "opacity": "1"} ] }]