Taiwan's first two new F-16V Block 70 fighters landed at Taitung's Chihhang air base, a boost for the island's weakest flank — its eastern seaboard.

• The two jets flew in from Texas via Hawaii and Guam, the first of 66 ordered from the US in a deal worth over NT$247 billion.
• Basing them in the east extends Taiwan's reach over the sea southeast of the island, where Chinese carrier and amphibious groups now operate regularly — often just beyond the range of shore-based anti-ship missiles.
• Armed with air-launched Harpoons, these jets could push Chinese carriers and landing ships back in wartime, and keep eastern sea lanes open.
• The new planes are easy for current F-16 pilots to fly, last longer in service, and carry a modern jamming system that eases the strain on older jets worn down by constant Chinese incursions.
• The catch: Taiwan's existing F-16 Block 20s, IDF and Mirage fleets are all aging, and there are not enough pilots to fill the new cockpits.

Outlook: Taiwan will keep pressing for longer-range missiles and must soon decide whether to build or buy a fifth-generation fighter.