File photo: A Republic of China Air Force F-16 on August 12, 2023; this is not a photograph of a newly delivered Block 70 aircraft. Photo: Ryan00131 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web.
By Wang Jun
Taiwan’s 66 F-16C/D Block 70 fighter jets purchased from the United States are gradually being delivered, with the first two aircraft set to arrive in Taiwan soon. However, the Ministry of National Defense’s proposed budget for next year has raised concerns over another issue: the continued loss of experienced military pilots.
According to Taiwan’s 2027 defense budget proposal, the government plans to allocate NT$755.782 million for the “Military Pilot Continued-Service Incentive,” a program designed to encourage pilots to remain in active service. The amount is NT$32.352 million lower than this year’s allocation and marks the fourth consecutive annual decline, reaching its lowest level in four years.
Chieh Chung, a researcher at the Taiwan Center for Advanced Strategic Studies, said the figures may indicate that the loss of experienced military pilots has not yet been brought under control. With the Air Force preparing to expand both its F-16 fleet and the number of pilots, an imbalance between experienced and less-experienced pilots could emerge. As a result, an increase in the number of aircraft and pilots may not necessarily translate into a corresponding increase in overall combat capability.
According to the 2027 defense budget proposal, the military’s budgeted manpower for volunteer officers, noncommissioned officers and enlisted personnel stands at 158,223, an increase of 4,258 from 153,965 in 2026. This marks the first increase since 2024, suggesting that the Ministry of National Defense’s efforts to curb the loss of volunteer personnel are beginning to show results.
Chieh said the main reason is that the sharp decline in the number of volunteer soldiers since 2024 appears to have been brought under control, with manpower levels showing signs of rebounding from a low point. However, the situation among military pilots remains a concern.
The budget for the Military Pilot Continued-Service Incentive is NT$755.782 million for 2027, down NT$32.352 million, or about 4%, from NT$788.134 million in 2026. Compared with the NT$838.282 million budgeted in 2023, the allocation has fallen by NT$82.5 million, or nearly 10%, over four years.
Chieh said the decline could indicate that the number of pilots eligible for the incentive has fallen by roughly 10% over the past four years, suggesting that the departure of experienced pilots has not significantly slowed.
The issue is particularly significant as Taiwan prepares to receive the 66 F-16C/D Block 70 fighter jets purchased from the United States. The first two aircraft are scheduled to arrive soon. To accommodate the additional aircraft, the Air Force has established a new fighter wing and plans to add 107 military pilots.
Chieh warned that the continued departure of experienced pilots could create an imbalance between senior and junior personnel within Taiwan’s fighter units at precisely the time when the Air Force is expanding its fleet and pilot force.
Even if the ratio of pilots to authorized positions remains within regulations — or even exceeds required levels — the Air Force could still face a shortage of experienced majors and lieutenant colonels who serve as key personnel, instructors, flight leaders, squadron commanders and mission leaders.
In other words, Taiwan could eventually have more fighter jets and more pilots without achieving a proportional increase in combat capability. A shortage of experienced personnel could affect training, the transfer of operational knowledge and the overall effectiveness of fighter units.
Chieh explained that the Military Pilot Continued-Service Incentive is primarily paid to majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels who have completed the minimum required period of active service. These officers are not only experienced pilots but also serve as key personnel within flying units and form the primary pool of instructors.
Although pilots from the Army’s aviation units, including helicopter pilots, are also eligible for the incentive, Air Force pilots account for the majority of recipients.
The issue is particularly important because Air Force pilots who complete their minimum required service can subsequently leave the military and pursue careers as civilian airline pilots. One of the original purposes of the incentive program was to reduce the number of experienced military pilots leaving the Air Force for the civilian aviation sector.
Chieh also raised another issue that warrants attention. Pilots who leave the military before completing their minimum required service are required to pay compensation, with the amount generally much higher than that imposed on other military personnel.
He questioned whether a rapid increase in compensation payments received by the Air Force Command in recent years could indicate that the number of pilots seeking early retirement has also been rising.
As Taiwan continues to expand its fighter fleet and prepares to introduce the new F-16 Block 70s into service, retaining experienced pilots and maintaining a healthy balance between senior and junior personnel could become a critical factor in determining whether the Air Force can translate its growing fleet into greater operational capability.
Originally published by Wang Jun in Asia Horizon Review on Medium.