Taiwan has started receiving the advanced F-16V fighter jets it bought from the United States, a boost for the island's air defenses as it braces for pressure from China.

• The first two of 66 jets flew in from Hawaii and landed at an air base in eastern Taiwan.
• More jets will arrive before the end of the year, with delivery dates still being worked out with Washington.
• Eastern Taiwan matters because it is the safest place to keep warplanes intact if an attack comes.
• Defense Minister Wellington Koo dismissed talk that the jets carry weights in place of untested electronic warfare gear, saying the maker is still running tests on that system.
• US officials reportedly see a lower chance of China attacking before 2028, though they think the risk rises if President Lai Ching-te wins another term.

Outlook: More jets should land in the coming months, and Taiwan's military says it is preparing for any scenario regardless of who is in power.