Taiwan’s air force has grounded its entire fleet of F-16 fighter jets after one aircraft and its pilot disappeared during a nighttime training mission, raising fresh questions about aircraft systems and operational strain on the island’s defenses.
The incident occurred late Tuesday when an F-16 assigned to Taiwan’s Fifth Tactical Air Wing departed Hualien Air Base for a routine exercise off the island’s northeast coast. According to the Ministry of National Defense, the jet became separated from other aircraft after entering cloud cover and then began a rapid descent. Radar contact was lost when the aircraft was at an altitude of roughly 1,700 feet, as reported by Business Insider.
The missing pilot has been identified as Capt. Hsin Po-yi. Officials said he indicated moments before the disappearance that he intended to eject, but it remains unclear whether the ejection was successful. Search-and-rescue operations have been underway for days, involving aircraft and naval vessels, but progress has been hampered by rough seas, high waves, and strong winds in the search area off Hualien County.
Preliminary findings suggest a possible malfunction involving the jet’s main onboard computer. Air force officials told reporters that the aircraft’s flight path information may no longer have been displayed correctly, though they stressed that the investigation is still ongoing and no definitive cause has been established.
As a precaution, Taiwan has suspended all F-16 training missions and ordered comprehensive inspections of its fleet, which numbers around 140 aircraft. These include upgraded F-16A/B models that have undergone modernization in recent years. Taiwan is also expecting deliveries of the newer F-16V variant in the coming years as part of its broader air force upgrade program.
The F-16, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, has been in service for more than five decades and remains a widely used fourth-generation fighter. Taiwan is among its most prominent operators in East Asia, relying heavily on the platform to maintain air readiness.
This is not the first time Taiwan has grounded its F-16 fleet following an accident. In January 2022, another F-16 crashed during training off the island’s west coast, prompting a temporary suspension of combat training while safety checks were conducted. Such fleet-wide groundings are common practice globally when the cause of an incident is unclear.
The grounding comes at a sensitive moment for Taiwan’s air force, which has faced sustained operational pressure in recent years. Aircraft are frequently scrambled to respond to Chinese military flights entering Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, increasing wear on jets and fatigue among pilots and maintenance crews. Until the current investigation is complete, officials say safety will take precedence over flight operations, even as regional tensions remain high.
