Press Release:
The US-Taiwan Business Council Comments on the Proposed Foreign Military Sale of Non-Standard Spare and Repair Parts for F-16, C-130, and IDF Aircraft  to Taiwan

(Arlington, Virginia, November 14, 2025)

The US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) today welcomed the announcement of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Taiwan of Non-Standard Spare and Repair Parts and related equipment for F-16, C-130, and IDF aircraft at an estimated total cost of US$330 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the proposed Taiwan arms sale, published on November 13, 2025.

The Congressional Notification (CN) (transmittal number 25-73) includes non-standard components, spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support for Taiwan’s F-16, C-130, and Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) aircraft. The notification also includes U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.

USTBC President Rupert Hammond-Chambers commented, “USTBC welcomes the first of President Trump’s second term arms sales to Taiwan. Bolstering the sustainment of legacy equipment shows our ongoing commitment to helping the Taiwan military achieve high operational rates. Such programs have a long-standing place in American security assistance to Taiwan, with 27 sustainment CN’s in total since 2001.

Taiwan’s military procurement is expanding, with real year-on-year growth in defense spending and a steady cadence of special budgets, including an expected US$43 billion special budget for a bundle of programs later this fall. It will be important for Taiwan to receive a mix of U.S. support that includes the maintenance of legacy equipment, coupled with expanded magazines of legacy munitions as well as missiles and mobile platforms for ground to air, ground to sea, air to air, and sea combat.”

Hammond-Chambers added, “USTBC expects that this CN will be the first in a significant number of programs heading to Congress in the next 12 months, potentially representing the largest gross value of arms sales over one year since the 1979 switch in recognition. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has committed to increase Taiwan defense spending to reach 5% of GDP or higher by 2030. To accomplish this goal, the U.S. must commit to, process (through the government bureaucracy), and deliver an unmatched quantity of arms through the early 2030s, to continue deterring the threat from the Chinese Communist Party.”

Source: See the DSCA website at https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales

Additional Data:

For more details on Taiwan arms sales, please visit our dedicated defense website at www.ustaiwandefense.com. The post “Taiwan Arms Sales Notified to Congress 1990-2025” contains charts showing a summary of arms sales data by year as of this most recent sale, along with a link to the raw data compiled by the Council from DSCA and other sources.

About the US-Taiwan Business Council:

The US-Taiwan Business Council (www.us-taiwan.org) is a membership-based non-profit association, founded in 1976 to foster trade and business relations between the United States and Taiwan. The Council provides its members with business intelligence, offers access to an extensive network of relationships, and serves as a vital and effective representative in dealing with business, trade, and investment matters.