Vice defense minister to attend launch of Taiwan's 1st F-16 blk70 in U.S.

Taipei, March 13 (CNA) One of Taiwan's vice defense ministers will soon visit the United States to observe the ceremonial launch of the first F-16 C/D Block 70 that the country has purchased from the United States.

Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) revealed the detail at a legislative hearing Thursday when asked by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Chen Chun-yu (陳俊宇) if he would attend the launch in the U.S., to which Koo replied, "I will not."

A vice defense minister will attend instead, Koo said.

Air Force Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Wang Te-yang (王德揚) said that one of his deputies is also set to attend.

Asked which U.S. officials will attend the ceremony, Koo said the U.S. has provided a tentative register, which he declined to reveal at the hearing.

Koo said on Jan. 16 that the plane was being tested after assembly had been completed. He said at the time that the Ministry of National Defense hoped the testing would be completed in March.

The plane is one of the 66 of its kind Taiwan has purchased from the U.S. in an arms sale package approved in 2019 during the first term of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The first aircraft was originally scheduled to be delivered in 2023. Since then, two more dates for the delivery in September and December 2024 were missed.