An F-16V fighter jet on Tuesday disappeared from radar during a nighttime training mission off eastern Taiwan.
Below is a timeline of major developments and accidents relating to the air force’s operation of this model of US-made warplane:
Photo: CNA
1992:
The Republic of China (Taiwan’s official name) signed a deal with the US to purchase 150 F-16 fighter jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin under a program overseen by the US Air Force.
April 14, 1997:
Taiwan’s first two F-16 fighter jets flew from the US to Taiwan and were assigned to Chiayi Air Base.
March 20, 1998:
An F-16A/B fighter jet assigned to Chiayi Air Base lost contact with the combat control center during a training mission near Penghu County’s Magong City, leaving pilots Wen Chin-sung (溫進嵩) and Chang Chia-cheng (章嘉成) missing. They were later formally declared dead.
Jan. 25, 1999:
An F-16A/B fighter jet based at Hualien Air Base crashed in Taitung County during a routine mission, killing pilots Chang Chia-kun (張嘉鯤) and Tai Wei-kang (戴維康).
June 1, 1999:
An F-16 fighter jet assigned to the Chiayi Wing disappeared from radar during nighttime training southwest of Green Island (綠島), with pilot Hsu Chun-wei (許君威) declared missing and later formally declared dead.
Aug. 18, 1999:
An F-16 fighter jet suffered a suspected mechanical failure during a training flight, forcing pilot Lin Keng-sheng (林更生) to eject to safety before the aircraft crashed.
March 4, 2008:
An F-16 fighter jet assigned to the 401st Wing crashed into the sea during a nighttime training mission near Hualien County, leaving pilot Ting Shih-pao (丁世寶) missing and later formally declared dead.
Sept. 22, 2011:
The US government formally notified the US Congress of its approval of a major upgrade package for Taiwan’s F-16A/B fighter jets, valued at about US$5.85 billion.
May 15, 2013:
An F-16 fighter jet crashed into the sea near Chiayi Air Base during a training mission, with pilot Wu Yen-ting (吳彥霆) ejecting to safety.
Jan. 22, 2016:
Pilot Kao Ting-cheng (高鼎程) was killed in a crash during a training exercise in an F-16 fighter jet at Luke Air Force Base in the US.
June 4, 2018:
During the Han Kuang military exercises, an F-16 fighter jet crashed into Wufen Mountain in Keelung City, killing pilot Wu Yen-ting, who had survived the 2013 accident.
Nov. 7, 2020:
An F-16 fighter jet disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Hualien Air Base, with pilot Chiang Cheng-chih (蔣正志) declared missing and later formally declared dead.
Jan. 11, 2022:
An F-16V fighter jet crashed into the sea during a ground attack training mission at Shuixi Shooting Range near Chiayi Air Base, killing pilot Andy Chen (陳 奕).
Dec. 19, 2023:
Taiwanese company Aerospace Industrial Development Corp upgraded 139 F-16 fighter jets to the F-16V configuration.
Jan. 6, 2026:
An F-16V fighter jet went missing during a nighttime training mission over waters off Hualien County, with pilot Hsin Po-yi (辛柏毅) believed to have ejected.
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