The US is giving Taiwan’s F-16s a welcome boost of firepower with AGM-154 bombs as tensions with China ratchet up. Raytheon Missile Systems received a $68.4 million contract to build 50 glide bombs.
The order is expected to be completed in March 2028.
Taiwan’s fleet of F-16s is set for an upgrade when it receives brand-new glide bombs from the US.
The US awarded a $68.4 million contract to Raytheon Missile Systems to build and deliver 50 AGM-154 glide bombs, per a notice from the Department of Defense on Friday.
According to the notice, the AGM-154s will be built primarily in Arizona. The order is expected to be completed in March 2028.
The AGM-154s are known as “fire-and-forget” weapons that do not require external guidance after they are launched.
Gliding bombs can be installed on various aircraft, including F-16s, F/A-18 Hornets, and F-35 Lightning II.
Taiwan has a fleet of 139 F-16s and is set to take delivery of an additional 66 F-16 fighters from the US.
The boosted fighters could help boost Taiwan’s air defenses in the face of China’s aggressive moves in the region.
© 2024, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Be the first to comment