Taiwan's long-delayed F-16V fighter deal with the US is finally delivering, a boost for the island's air defenses as pressure from China grows.

• The first two of 66 F-16V Block 70 jets took off from Hawaii and are due at Chihhang air base in Taitung tomorrow morning.
• The jets left Texas in mid-August and sat in Hawaii for six weeks of checks and repairs before continuing.
• The purchase, run under the "Phoenix Rising" program, is Taiwan's biggest fighter order from Washington in decades.
• Taiwan's air force is inviting media to film the arrival, signaling it wants the delivery seen publicly.

Outlook: The remaining jets should arrive in batches over the coming months, with weather the only near-term risk to tomorrow's landing.