Am??ic?n l?wm?k??s h?v? ?x???ss?? c?nc??n th?t m?ch-?w?it?? ??liv??i?s ?? F-16 ?i?ht?? j?ts t? T?iw?n c??l? ??c? ???th?? ??l??s ??? t? c????nt ?????litic?l c?nc??ns.

Tw? ??z?n R????lic?n ?????s?nt?tiv?s w??t? ? l?tt?? t? US Ai? F??c? S?c??t??? F??nk K?n??ll, ??intin? ??t th? c??nt??’s ??????nt ?i??ic?lti?s in c?m?l?tin? th? ?????cti?n ?n? t??ns??? ?? th? Fi?htin? F?lc?ns.

Whil? th?? ?ckn?wl????? US P??si??nt J?? Bi??n’s ?????ts t? s???? ?? ??liv??i?s, th?? s?i? c?nc??ns h?v? c?m???n??? n?w th?t W?shin?t?n ?ls? h?s milit??? c?mmitm?nts t? Uk??in? ?n? Is???l.

US R????s?nt?tiv? R?? Wittm?n, th? vic? ch?i?m?n ?? th? H??s? A?m?? S??vic?s C?mmitt??, st??ss?? th? im???t?nc? ?? ??i??itizin? ???mis?s t? T?i??i ?s s?c??it? c?nc??ns inc???s? in th? isl?n? n?ti?n.

“W? c?nn?t ?????? t? ?v??-???mis? ?n? ?n???-??liv?? t? ??? cl?s?st ??i?n?s,” h? s?i?.

Th? l?wm?k??s ??? ?x??ctin? ? ?????t ???m K?n??ll ?? D?c?m??? 18 t? ?x?l?in th? st?t?s ?? th? T?iw?n?s? F-16 ??????m.

T????l?? P?????m

In 2019, th? US St?t? D????tm?nt ?????v?? th? s?l? ?? 66 F-16 ?i?ht?? j?ts ?n? ??l?t?? s?????t ???i?m?nt t? T?iw?n ??? $8 ?illi?n.

Initi?l ??liv??i?s w??? ??i?in?ll? sch???l?? ???li?? this ????, ??t ?????cti?n iss??s h?v? h?lt?? th? t??ns??? ?ntil th? thi?? ????t?? ?? 2024.

D?s?it? t?chnic?l ?n? s???l? ch?in ch?ll?n??s, th? s?l?-??l?? isl?n? ?x??cts ?ll ?i?c???t ?n??? ????? will ???iv? ?s sch???l?? in 2026.

H?w?v??, US l?wm?k??s ??mitt?? t? s??in? ? “hi?h ?isk” ?? ???th?? ??l??s t? th? t????l?? ??????m.

Th?? h?v? ?stim?t?? th? ??liv??i?s will ?? c?m?l?t?? ?? 2027.

“Giv?n th? ????ns? ?????tm?nt’s hist??ic?l ??l??s in ?x?c?tin? th?s? ????i?n milit??? s?l?s, th? c?m?l?xit? ?? th? F-16’s s??tw??? int????ti?n, ?n? l??istic?l ??liv??? ch?ll?n??s, w? still ?ss?ss th? ?x?c?ti?n ?? th?s? c?s?s t? ?? hi?h-?isk,” Wittm?n t?l? Bl??m????.