Should the US Sell the F-35 to Taiwan? Why Not?

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington DC) The F-35 is spreading like wildfire throughout the free world to include NATO allies in Europe to include Poland, Germany, Finland, and Switzerland as well as critical areas of the Pacific such as Japan, but why hasn’t the Pentagon, Biden administration, or Congress approved the sale of the F-35 to Taiwan?

It would certainly make sense for Taiwan to operate F-35s along with Singapore, Japan, Australia, and South Korea, given that 5th-generation air superiority is arguably the largest advantage the U.S. and its allies would have over China.

Beijing has a large and threatening high-tech Navy, a massive stockpile of ballistic missiles, and large numbers of ground forces, yet the PRC seems to lack the ability to mass 5th-gen air power in a way that would challenge the U.S. and its allies.

Of course, China has the J-20, yet it must launch from land and, while the PRC Navy (PLAN) is developing the carrier-launched J-31 stealth fighter jet it is not clear how far along the project is or if they can exist in impactful numbers.

Air Superiority Island

Certainly, as a small island only 100 miles off the coast of China, Taiwan is within the attack range of China’s growing fleet of J-20s, yet it seems unlikely that China would be able to provide 5th-generation air superiority in support of any amphibious assault on Taiwan.

Conversely, it seems much more likely that U.S. and allied 5th-generation aircraft would be positioned to outmatch and destroy any Chinese air presence and essentially incinerate or destroy an attacking Chinese amphibious force.