WASHINGTON, November 30, 2024: The U.S. State Department has approved a $385 million arms sale to Taiwan, which includes crucial spare parts for Taiwan’s fleet of F-16 fighter jets and advanced radar systems.
The Pentagon confirmed the approval on Friday, marking another step in the U.S.’s ongoing commitment to helping Taiwan bolster its defense capabilities.
The sale, which comes just one day before Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te embarks on a diplomatic trip to the Pacific, is broken down into two key components.
A $320 million portion will provide spare parts and support for Taiwan’s F-16 aircraft, along with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars and related equipment.
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An additional $65 million will be allocated for improved mobile subscriber equipment, with General Dynamics serving as the primary contractor.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense has indicated that the equipment is expected to be delivered within a month, with officials stating that it will significantly enhance the readiness of Taiwan’s F-16 fleet and strengthen its overall defense capabilities.
The ministry also emphasized that the sale reflects the deepening security partnership between the U.S. and Taiwan, particularly in light of ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
This arms sale follows a larger $2 billion package approved by the U.S. last month, which included advanced air defense missile systems used in Ukraine.
The sale is part of the U.S.’s strategic support under the Taiwan Relations Act, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei.
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President Lai is set to depart on Saturday for a diplomatic tour that will take him to Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau—four of the 12 countries that still maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
He will also stop in Guam, home to key U.S. military bases in the Pacific.
The U.S. State Department has dismissed concerns raised by China, clarifying that Lai’s stopover is a routine, unofficial visit, with no intent to provoke Beijing.
