While China continues to increase the tension in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan is bolstering its air power with the most advanced version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet.
While China continues to increase the tension in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan is bolstering its air power with the most advanced version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet.
With a cost of $4.5 billion, the Peace Phoenix Rising program upgraded 139 older versions of the F-16 fighter jet to the Block 70/72 Viper iteration. The Taiwanese Air Force now has a most modern and capable aircraft in its fleet.
The newest version of the venerable fighter jet, the Block 70/72 Viper upgrade, has one-third more service life (12,000 hours compared to 8,000 hours) and modern sensors that allow it to operate seemingly with fifth-generation fighter jets like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lighting II.
Some of these sensors include the Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Sniper targeting pod, Link 16 network connecting software, and precision GPS navigation. The F-16 Viper can also carry more advanced weapon systems and has a more robust landing gear.
“Additional modifications to the aircraft include a slew of structural upgrades to the wings, fuselage and landing gear that make the aircraft more capable and sustainable. It also allows for a heavier takeoff as well as increased landing weight,” Nathan Frock, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s acting security assistance program manager for the Taiwan F-16 retrofit program, said.