After decades of service, Taiwan retires its last F-5 fighter jets

HUALIEN, Taiwan (AP) — After decades in service, Taiwan’s Vietnam-era F-5 fighter jets are being retired as part of the island democracy’s transition to more advanced hardware.

To keep pace with increased threats from mainland China, Taiwan has been upgrading both its manned and unmanned aerial assets, including purchasing 66 of the latest generation F-16V fighters and upgrading existing aircraft to modern specifications.

China claims the island as its own territory and has never dropped its threat to invade since the sides split amid civil war in 1949.

The air force invited journalists on Friday to witness one last flyby by the F-5, which first entered service with Taiwan in 1965 and most of which have now been converted to trainers, reconnaissance planes or decoys.

The planes began moving into a backing role 30 years ago when Taiwan began acquiring more modern American F-16s, French Mirage 2000s and domestically developed Ching Kuos.

Three Taiwan’s RF-5E Tigergazer reconnaissance version fighters, Vietnam-era F-5 fighter jets, seen top, third from top and bottom, and two F-5F fighters fly during a retirement ceremony for RF-5E Tigergazer fighter jets at an air base in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

The F-5 is one of the world’s most widely produced jets, with Taiwan the largest operator at one point with 336, producing some 100 domestically. Dozens of countries still use them, including the U.S., which uses them as pretend opponents in training exercises.

The planes gained favor for their high speed and maneuverability, alongside their low cost and ease of maintenance. For Taiwan, they guarded the skies above the Taiwan Strait against mainland China’s Soviet and domestically built fighters.

Taiwan’s F-5s were based along the eastern coast, separated from China by both the 160 kilometer (100 mile)-wide Taiwan Strait and Taiwan’s formidable Central Mountain Range.