In recent years, the American F-16V fighter jet has become a hot item in the international arms market. Vietnam and the Philippines have abandoned Russian and Chinese fighter jets in favor of purchasing the F-16V. Taiwan has also received the delivery of brand new F-16V jets. Why did Vietnam give up on the Su-57 and opt for the F-16V instead?
The F-16 fighter jet from the United States has been in high demand in the international market. Not only Vietnam and the Philippines have been placing orders for American fighter jets, but Taiwan’s first domestically manufactured F-16V has been officially delivered to the Taiwanese Air Force by the United States.
Let’s first take a look at Vietnam. There has always been a debate in the military sector about whether American weapons are better than Russian or Chinese weapons. As a traditional ally of the Soviet Union and China, Vietnam’s air force has been equipped solely with Soviet-system fighter jets. Their most advanced jets include two squadrons of Su-30MK2 fighters purchased from Russia 20 years ago. Additionally, they have a certain number of Su-27s and a large quantity of older fighter jets like the Su-22 and MiG-21.
Some Chinese netizens may wonder why a country like Vietnam still has MiG-21, an old aircraft, in its air force in the 21st century. However, even China’s J-7 fighter jet, which is still in active service in large numbers, is a copy of the Soviet MiG-21. Therefore, it’s essentially a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
Apart from the two squadrons of Su-30 fighter jets in the Vietnamese Air Force, the performance of their other aircraft is subpar with aging models that are in urgent need of replacement. A few years back, there were rumors about Vietnam looking to acquire the advanced Su-35 fighter jets from Russia. China has been keen on opening up the export market for their J-10 fighter jets, with Vietnam being a potential buyer. However, Vietnam ultimately chose the American F-16 fighter jets instead of the Russian or Chinese options. While some may speculate about the capabilities of the J-10 and Su-35 in comparison to the F-16, Vietnamese officials have firsthand experience with decades-old Soviet equipment and understand that their actual performance falls short of the propaganda.
In an effort to boost exports, Russia even planned to sell Su-57 fighter jets to Vietnam. The Su-57 is Russia’s most advanced fighter jet to date, aimed at surpassing the American F-22 and F-35. However, the Su-57’s mass production faced challenges, and its performance was not guaranteed. Despite attempts to sell to Algeria with no success, and then to Vietnam, Russia faced concerns about the aircraft’s reputation. There were fears that the Su-57 might face embarrassment if used in combat and potentially shot down, much like the widespread ridicule faced by Russia’s Moskva cruiser.
The Su-57, touted as a fifth-generation fighter jet, struggles to meet the capabilities of a fourth and a half generation, with concerns over its performance quality. Vietnamese officials, well aware of the shortcomings of their Soviet-era equipment, opted for the American F-16 instead. Vietnam’s decision reflected a stark departure from potential purchases of Russian Su-35 or Su-57 aircraft, highlighting their preference for the F-16.
The United States lifted its arms embargo on Vietnam in 2016. Following negotiations, Vietnam plans to purchase at least 24 F-16 fighter jets from the U.S. by 2025. The Vietnamese Air Force follows a divisional system, with each fighter jet squadron comprising 24 aircraft.
This is not the first time the U.S. has sold weapon systems to the Vietnamese Air Force. In 2021, the U.S. provided Vietnam with 12 T-6C Texan II trainers, manufactured by Textron Aviation. Textron Aviation is renowned for its Cessna brand in the civil aviation sector.
The T-6C is Textron’s latest single-engine turboprop trainer aircraft primarily used for pilot training activities, especially for F-16 fighter jet pilots. The procurement of T-6 trainers by Vietnam in 2021 foreshadowed their eventual selection of the American F-16 fighter jets. These trainers are currently stationed at the military airfield in Quảng Bình Province.
Decades ago, the U.S. and Vietnam engaged in conflict. Today, American fighter jets are set to enter the Vietnamese Air Force, signifying a notable shift in relations, showcasing the proverbial saying, “The wheel of fortune turns.”
The F-16 transactions are still ongoing, and the specific models of the F-16 fighter jets purchased by Vietnam remain undisclosed. It can be speculated that the F-16V purchased by Vietnam is likely similar to Taiwan’s F-16V. The production of older F-16 fighter jets ceased in Fort Worth, Texas in 2019, with Lockheed Martin upgrading the production line for manufacturing F-35 jets instead. The production of F-16V fighter jets has since transferred to the Greenville plant in South Carolina, which is currently the sole F-16 fighter jet production line in the U.S. Other countries looking to purchase F-16 fighter jets need to acquire the F-16V from this plant.
Taiwan initially collaborated with the U.S. on the F-16V upgrade program, but due to budget constraints within the U.S. Air Force, the program was abandoned. Taiwan then funded $3.8 billion for the research and development of the F-16V upgrade. As per the contract, Taiwan holds certain rights for any country purchasing new F-16 fighter jets or upgrading to F-16V specifications, allowing them to benefit financially from sales to countries like Vietnam and the Philippines.
Moreover, Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation is operating the only F-16V logistics maintenance center in Asia-Pacific. In addition to providing logistical support for Taiwan’s extensive F-16 fleet, the maintenance center may potentially offer services for F-16 fighter jets from neighboring countries like Vietnam and the Philippines.
In addition to Vietnam, the Philippines recently signed a contract to acquire F-16 fighter jets. On April 24th, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 20 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets to the Philippines, equivalent to the F-16V model. In response to China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea over the past five years, the Philippines has ramped up defense investments and will complement the purchase of F-16 fighter jets with an armament package, including AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, totaling approximately $2.7 billion.
When Taiwan ordered the F-16V fighter jets, critics accused the U.S. of taking advantage of Taiwan economically. However, comparing the price points, Taiwan spent $6 billion for 66 jets previously, averaging $120 million per aircraft. In contrast, the recent purchase by the Philippines amounted to $2.7 billion for 20 aircraft, at an average of $135 million per aircraft. Factoring in inflation, the prices at which various countries are buying F-16Vs remain consistent without any exploitation evident.
On a positive note for Taiwan, the first of the 66 newly purchased F-16V fighter jets rolled out on March 28th, with an official ceremony held by Lockheed Martin. Despite the original plan for initial deliveries in 2023, delays resulting from the pandemic and the transfer of production lines have pushed back the first batch’s delivery by a year and a half. All F-16 fighter jets are expected to be delivered by the end of 2026, with the new fleet stationed at the Taitung Air Force Base in Taiwan, under the 7th Squadron, comprised of three operational units, with the 46th Squadron scheduled for activation next year.
The “Fengxiong Project” was initiated by the Taiwanese Air Force in 2009 to procure 66 F-16 fighter jets from the U.S. and upgrade all existing 141 F-16AB models to the F-16V standard. The newer F-16V jets boast higher engine thrust, reinforced aircraft structure, and upgraded systems including mission capabilities, avionics, and cockpit interfaces.
Visual inspection of the F-16V fighter jets revealed the absence of conformal fuel tanks on the wings, and the addition of two yellow-colored small boxes at the rear designed to emit flares to deflect infrared-seeking missiles. The elongated fuselage of the F-16V accommodates various avionics equipment. F-16V jets are equipped with the ALQ-254 “Viper Shield” embedded electronic warfare system. Testing of similar systems was conducted last month on a Bahraini Air Force F-16 fighter jet in California, with anticipated deliveries at the end of this year. Hence, the early F-16V jets received by Taiwan likely do not feature the new electronic warfare system, necessitating the continued use of the existing ALQ-184 pods by the Taiwanese Air Force.
Electronic warfare pods play a crucial role in modern aerial combat. Earlier this year, a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet was downed by three S-400 missiles from Russia, utilizing an outdated F-16 model retrofitted with the AN/ALQ-131 pods from the 1970s. Presently, the Taiwanese Air Force F-16s are equipped with the more potent AN/ALQ-184 electronic warfare pods. The new F-16V jets will be paired with the ALQ-254 embedded electronic warfare system.
While the Philippines’ purchase of F-16 jets is not surprising, Vietnam’s abandonment of Russian aircraft in favor of the American F-16 jets deals a significant blow to Russia’s arms exports. Many in China may boast about the capabilities of the J-10 surpassing the F-16 or the Su-35 outperforming the F-35. However, the Vietnamese officials have experienced decades of Soviet-era weaponry and likely understand that the F-16 outshines the J-10, let alone the Su-30MK2, and could potentially rival the Su-35.
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