Taiwan allocates $1.3 billion for electronic warfare system for F-16

The Taiwanese Ministry of Defence has allocated about $1.3 billion to purchase the Viper Shield advanced electronic warfare system for its F-16 fighters.

Here's What We Know

The system will be integrated into 66 F-16V multi-role fighters that Taiwan has ordered from the United States. The first two aircraft are expected to be delivered by the end of 2024 after last year's delays due to technical and supply chain issues.

This latest purchase of an electronic warfare system, in addition to ammunition and support systems, was included in the Ministry of National Defence's spending plan submitted to the Legislature on 30 August.

However, Taiwan's national news agency noted that the procurement was not included in the 2022-2024 spending plans, suggesting that it may have been funded by undisclosed appropriations.

Flashback

The Viper Shield is an electronic warfare system developed by L3Harris in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force. The electronic warfare system is specially designed to be a standard feature on F-16 aircraft. The Viper Shield includes a digital warning radar receiver that works with the F-16V APG-83 radar. In addition, it features a memory-based digital radio frequency jamming system for enhanced ability to counter modern threats.

Source: LTN