Taiwan’s fighters “will primarily serve a deterrent role defending Taiwan’s airspace in peacetime."

The National Interest
Date: March 7, 2020
By: David Axe Follow @daxe on TwitterL

Key point: Taiwan is finally getting its new F-16s. Right at the moment they’re ceasing to matter.

Nearly a decade after first requesting them, the Taiwanese air force finally could get 66 new F-16 fighters to begin replacing some of its older fighter aircraft.

But the $8-billion fighter-acquisition, which the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump approved over strong objections from China, likely will do little to alter the overall balance of power across the Taiwan Strait.

China possesses hundreds of more modern fighters than Taiwan does. Sixty-six F-16s won’t change that. And Taipei already has begun to revamp its defensive strategy to de-emphasize the importance of conventional major weapons systems such as F-16s.    [FULL  STORY]