*

Taiwan blames 'acute fluctuations' in international

situation

for delivery delays

*

Taiwan expects deliveries to start in fourth quarter

*

U.S. says working to ensure deliveries as quickly as

possible

(Updates Sept 13 story, adds comment from Lockheed Martin ( LMT )

paragraphs 9, 10, U.S. State Department paragraphs 11, 12,

byline)

By Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry

said on Friday it was aiming for delivery of the first new F-16V

fighter jets by the end of this year, blaming "acute

fluctuations" in the international situation for delays in the

island receiving them.

The United States in 2019 approved an $8 billion sale of

Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, a deal that

would take the island's F-16 fleet to more than 200 jets, the

largest in Asia, to strengthen its defences in the face of a

stepped up threat from China, which views Taiwan as its own.

Taiwan has been converting 141 F-16A/B jets into the F-16V

type and has ordered 66 new F-16Vs, which have advanced

avionics, weapons and radar systems to better face down the

Chinese air force, including its J-20 stealth fighter.

But Taiwan has complained of delays for the new F-16Vs,

saying problems include software issues.

In an update on the deliveries, Taiwan's defence ministry

said the first batch of new F-16Vs was meant to have been sent

in the third quarter of this year.

"Because of acute fluctuations in the international

situation, which have resulted in a compound impact such as

delays in deliveries of some suppliers and adjustments to the

U.S. assembly schedule, there has been a partial adjustment in

when they will leave the factory," it said in a statement.

The ministry will "strive to complete the shipment of the

first aircraft in the fourth quarter".

The air force will keep a close watch on the production

schedule and make factory visits with the aim to have the

deliveries completed by the end of 2026, it added.

Lockheed Martin ( LMT ) told Reuters it was "grateful for the trust

Taiwan has placed in us across its F-16 programmes".

"In partnership with the U.S. government, Lockheed Martin ( LMT ) is

focused on developing F-16 capabilities," it added.

The U.S. State Department said long delivery dates were not

a Taiwan-specific challenge.

"The U.S. government is actively reviewing our policies and

processes to ensure that we move arms sales cases as quickly as

possible, particularly for Taiwan," it said in a statement.

Taiwan has reported delays to U.S. weapons deliveries

such as Stinger anti-aircraft missiles since 2022, as

manufacturers give supplies to Ukraine to help it battle Russian

forces, and the issue has concerned U.S. lawmakers.

Taiwan's air force is well-trained but some of its fighter

jets are aging, including its French-made fleet of Mirage 2000s

first received in 1997. One crashed into the sea this week

during a training exercise.

The air force has repeatedly scrambled to see off Chinese

military aircraft flying near the island in the past five years.

Taiwan's government rejects China's sovereignty claims.