Faced with a powerful strategic rival just 110 nautical miles across the sea, Taiwan has maintained a sizable combat aircraft fleet totaling nearly 400 fighters. Comprising the backbone of this force are 142 F-16 fighters - which are in the process of being upgraded to the V Block 70 standard - and 126 F-CK-1 Ching-kuo Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDFs). Filling out the fighter fleet are 56 Dassault Mirage 2000s and 58 Northrop F-5 Tigers. While the size of the fighter fleet is substantial, two worries persist. First is the 4:1 combat aircraft ratio (not including bombers) in favor of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) over that of Taiwan.
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