F-16V Deliveries to Begin September 2026; US Reaffirms Arms Priority

Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo confirmed on March 26 that deliveries of the delayed F-16V fighter jets are expected to begin in September 2026, following a delegation visit to Lockheed Martin's South Carolina assembly line. The US has established a special project team to accelerate delayed weapons programs. The US has an $8.28 billion backlog of arms yet to be delivered to Taiwan. A $14 billion arms package — the largest ever for Taiwan, consisting largely of PAC-3 and NASAMS air defense interceptors — remains ready for President Trump's approval and is expected to be announced after his now-postponed Beijing summit.