Taiwan grounds its F-16 fleet after pilot goes missing

Thursday 08 January 2026 - 07:30

By: Sahili Aya

Taiwan grounds its F-16 fleet after pilot goes missing

Taiwan has temporarily grounded its fleet of F-16 fighter jets to carry out safety inspections following the disappearance of a pilot whose aircraft is believed to have crashed into the sea, defense authorities said on Thursday.

According to the Taiwanese Air Force, the incident occurred during a routine training mission off the eastern coast of the island. The pilot reportedly ejected from the single-seat aircraft after experiencing difficulties roughly an hour after takeoff. A large-scale search and rescue operation was immediately launched, involving military aircraft, naval vessels, coast guard ships, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Defense Minister Wellington Ko stated that the inspection of the F-16 fleet is expected to be completed within days and will not compromise Taiwan’s air defense readiness. While training and combat drills have been temporarily suspended, air surveillance and alert missions continue as usual to ensure national security.

“The priority at this stage is to mobilize all available resources to locate the missing pilot,” Ko told reporters, stressing that operational vigilance remains intact throughout the inspection period.

The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions, as China continues to increase military pressure on Taiwan through frequent deployments of aircraft and warships around the island. In recent weeks, Beijing conducted large-scale military exercises involving live-fire drills, underscoring the fragile security environment in the Taiwan Strait.

Despite having a growing domestic defense industry, Taiwan remains heavily reliant on military equipment supplied by the United States, including its F-16 fighter jets, which form a key component of its air defense strategy.