The nation’s first F-16V combat squadron is to be officially commissioned in a ceremony at the Chiayi Air Base on Nov. 18, which is to be presided over by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), a military source said on Thursday.
The F-16Vs are former F-16A/Bs that have been upgraded as part of a program launched by the air force in 2016 to retrofit all of its 141 F-16A/Bs by 2023.
The F-16Vs have been part of a long-term plan initiated by the air force in 2016 to retrofit all of its 141 F-16A/B jets into F-16Vs, which are equipped with advanced avionics, including APG- 83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar, a Helmet-Mounted Cueing System, and other flight management and electronic warfare systems.
A military source familiar with the matter said that the air force has finished upgrading at least 42 of the 141 jets.
The commissioning ceremony was originally scheduled to be held in April, but was postponed due to a local COVID-19 outbreak, the source said.
With Tsai presiding over the ceremony, an aerial show and military parade will be held to mark the historic occasion, according to the source.
After commissioning, the 42 F-16Vs are to be listed under the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing based in Chiayi.
The air force has said that the upgrading of all 141 F-16A/Bs is to be completed by 2023.
In addition to the retrofit program, Taiwan in 2019 purchased 66 new F-16Vs from the US, with delivery expected to begin in 2023.
The 66 F-16Vs are to be deployed at the Chihhang Air Base in Taitung County.
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