TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng stated on Thursday that the supply of 66 superior new F-16Vs from america has been delayed resulting from provide chain disruptions and the ministry was working to minimise the injury and “make up deficiencies”.

The US in 2019 authorised an $8 billion sale of Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:) F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, a deal that might take the island’s F-16 fleet to greater than 200 jets, the most important in Asia, to strengthen its defences within the face of a stepped up menace from China, which claims Taiwan as its personal.

Taiwan has been changing 141 F-16A/B jets into the F-16V kind and has as well as ordered 66 new F-16Vs, which have new avionics, weapons and radar techniques to raised face down the Chinese language air power, together with its J-20 stealth fighter.

The primary of the brand new F-16Vs was meant to be delivered within the fourth quarter of this 12 months however that has been delayed to the third quarter of subsequent 12 months resulting from pandemic-related provide chain disruptions, the ministry stated.

Talking to reporters at parliament, Chiu stated Taiwan had requested america to “make up the deficiency”, together with prioritising spare half deliveries for the present fleet.

“A number of channels are getting used, and we’re minimising the injury from this,” he stated, including they nonetheless anticipated to get the total order delivered earlier than 2026.

The ministry is utilizing diplomatic channels, comparable to through the de facto U.S. embassy in Taipei, to resolve the issue, Chiu stated.

The de facto embassy, the American Institute in Taiwan, didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Lockheed Martin stated it has a long-standing partnership with Taiwan, supporting its nationwide protection, interoperability with america and guaranteeing regional safety. The corporate stated additional questions relating to Taiwan overseas navy gross sales needs to be directed to the U.S. authorities and the Taiwan Ministry of Nationwide Protection.

Taiwan has since final 12 months complained of delays to U.S. weapons deliveries, comparable to Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, as producers flip provides to Ukraine because it battles invading Russian forces, and the difficulty has involved U.S. lawmakers.

Congressman Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. Home of Representatives International Affairs Committee, stated throughout a go to to Taipei final month that he was doing all the things potential to hurry up arms deliveries.