The 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan hit F-16 Block 72 warplanes. 6 F-16 Block 72 aircraft were affected by the earthquake.
This morning, Taiwan experienced the biggest earthquake in the last 25 years. In the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, 9 people died and nearly 1000 people were injured. F-16 Block 72 fighter jets in the Taiwan Air Force (ROCAF) inventory were also affected by the earthquake.
According to Reuters; At Hualien Air Force Base, where F-16 Block 72 and F-5 aircraft are located, 6 F-16 fighter jets were slightly damaged due to collisions. ROCAF stated that the affected aircraft suffered minor scratches and damage (due to shaking and movement of the boarding staircase), which could be repaired immediately and would not affect combat readiness.
Meanwhile, a few hours before the earthquake hit Taiwan, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense announced on social media that, in the last of a series of military exercises that have been going on for several days, 30 Chinese aircraft and 9 ships were detected around the island and 20 aircraft were placed in ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone). He announced his entry.
Taiwan’s F-16 Block 72 aircraft
F-16 Block 72 aircraft in the ROCAF inventory; AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM and AIM-9X/L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile; It is capable of using the Mk-82 and Mk-84 general purpose bombs and the GBU-10 Paveway II laser-guided bomb. Additionally, Taiwan F-16s are among the few aircraft with AGM-84 Harpoon capability, which is considered a deterrent element against Chinese Navy (PLAN) operations in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan became the first user to achieve ‘Full Operational Capability’ with the modernized F-16V Block 72 in November 2021.
In 2012, Taiwan signed a contract to modernize its F-16A/B Block 20 fighter jet fleet and named the program “Peace Phoenix Rising”. It was initially decided to upgrade 144 F-16s, but three of these were later lost due to mishaps, making the final number of jets to be modernized 141. 64 of these completed the modernization process and were delivered to the ROCAF.
New systems installed during the modernization include the APG-83 AESA radar, a new Center Plinth Display (CPD), Link 16 data link, NVIS (Night Vision Imaging System), JHCMS II (Joint Helmet Mounted Sight System II) and a new Embedded GPS/ There is INS (EGI).
The first jet was developed as a prototype by Lockheed Martin at its facilities in Fort Worth (Texas) and flew for the first time in 2015; a year later, Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) took over domestic development of the F-16. Work is already ongoing after a slow start, with the first four F-16 Block 72s only being delivered in 2018.