Taiwan will not receive all 66 new F-16V fighter jets by the end of this year as promised, a setback for the island's air defense plans and a sign of strain in US arms production.

• Taiwan bought 66 new F-16V jets from the US under a special law that required delivery by the end of 2026.
• Production line bottlenecks in the US mean the full order will not arrive in time.
• The defense ministry is drafting an amendment to extend the deadline and will ask the cabinet to carry over unspent funds.
• The first two jets have already left the US and are expected in Taiwan soon, though the arrival date is being kept secret.

Outlook: Expect a push to change the law so deliveries can continue past the deadline, with the remaining jets trickling in over the next few years.