Taiwan says test flights of US fighter jets to start this month

Test flights of US F-16V fighter jets built for Taiwan will start this month, a Taiwanese Air Force official said Monday, but warned of "very serious delays" in delivery.

The $8 billion deal for 66 warplanes was approved during US President Donald Trump's first term in the White House, with delivery scheduled for 2026.

Speaking in parliament, Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Ching-jan said flight tests of the new fighters would be carried out "earlier" than planned this month.

"For now, 54 aircraft have entered the assembly line, compared with 50 in October. The progress is being accelerated," Lee said.

Defence Minister Wellington Koo said last month that Lockheed Martin, the US defence contractor building the jets, had rampe

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