The air force expects to take delivery of the first four Lockheed Martin F-16Vs, the latest variant of the fighter jet, by the end of this year and have them combat-ready by next year, a source said.
The Republic of China Air Force has budgeted NT$129.6 billion (US$4.21 billion) to have Lockheed-Martin Corp upgrade its 143 F-16A/Bs to F-16V standards.
After completing ground tests earlier this year, Lockheed in April began flight tests with the first four and the planes were spotted by aviation enthusiasts, sources said.
Military and Aerospace Industrial Development Corp sources said that they were not authorized to comment on the program, but unclassified air force data showed that the military expects the upgraded planes to be combat-ready next year should they pass the flight tests.
The remaining F-16s are to be upgraded in batches of 20 to 24 per year, starting as early as this year, sources said.
The military sees the F-16V as the most advanced fighter in the F-16 line, sources said, adding that the fighter provides at least twice the situational awareness capability of the F-16A/B.
The F-16V’s most significant improvement over the F16A/B is advanced avionics, including an AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned array and a new modular mission computer, which improve radar detection range and multitarget engagement capabilities.
The upgraded fighters are to have a helmet-mounted cue system linked to AIM-9X Sidewinder heat-seeking missiles, giving pilots the ability to “see and shoot,” they said.
Other advanced weapons the F-16V is rated to carry and that are to be acquired via US arms sales include the AGM-154C joint standoff weapon — or glide bomb — and the AGM-88B high-speed anti-radiation missile, they said.
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