22.01.2025, China.
A group of instructor pilots will be sent to the US for F-16V fighter training by the 7th Wing of the Taiwan Air Force, said Colonel Bai Kaewei, commander of its 44th Squadron, CNA reported on January 22.
In anticipation of receiving the F-16Vs, the wing is selecting pilots with the best flying skills and language proficiency to undergo a four- to six-month training course in the United States. It will begin in the first quarter of 2026.
By the end of 2026, Taiwan aims to receive all of the 66 F-16Vs purchased from the US. Until then, these machines will be shared with the 7th Wing by the 4th and 5th Wings.
The 44th and 45th Squadrons have been formed in the last few years. The 46th Squadron is being created now. The 7th Air Wing that unites them was converted from a training wing to a tactical fighter wing in December 2023.
Its base is Jihang in the city of Taidong on Taiwan’s east coast. In October 2024, its vehicles were raised on alert to respond to the Chinese army’s Joint Sharp Sword – 2024B exercise.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency