Greenville: Taiwan's Vice Defense Minister Po Horng-huei attended the delivery ceremony of the first F-16 C/D block 70 fighter jet that Taiwan has purchased from the United States. The event took place at Lockheed Martin's production site in Greenville, South Carolina.
According to Focus Taiwan, the presence of Vice Defense Minister Po Horng-huei at the ceremony was revealed through photographs shared by Congressman William Timmons on the social media platform X. Also present at the ceremony was Taiwan's representative to the United States, Alexander Yui. "We are so proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to support Taiwan's air defense capabilities," Timmons stated in his post.
Earlier this month, Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo disclosed at a legislative hearing that a vice defense minister would visit the United States to observe the ceremony, without providing further details. The first F-16 C/D block 70 jet, which was showcased in Timmons' photographs, is a two-seater with the tail number 6831.
This fighter jet is part of a larger arms sale package, consisting of 66 F-16Vs, approved in 2019 during U.S. President Donald Trump's first term. According to the Ministry of National Defense, Taiwan is scheduled to receive all 66 F-16 fighter jets by the end of 2026.