Chinese J-16 and RoC F-16 Fighters Engage Over Taiwan Strait: New U.S. Infrared Pod Proves Invaluable

On the evening of the May 19, the Republic of China Ministry of National Defence announced that it had detected 22 Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jets, as well as warships, moving out to sea to conduct joint combat readiness patrols. The ministry released several rare high-definition surveillance images, which indicate that the Republic of China Air Force's F-16 fighters used infrared pods to monitor PLA J-16 fighters. The pods provided a particularly high degree of clarity, to the extent that the serial number "65015" on the vertical tail of a J-16 was clearly visible. In addition, the Defence Ministry released images of a PLA warship, commenting that “the National Armed Forces are committed to maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.”

Aircraft detected on May 19 included J-10 and J-16 fighters, as well as KJ-500 early warning and control aircraft. It is notable that these three types of aircraft often operate jointly with J-20 fifth generation fighters, although due to their advanced stealth capabilities these may not have been detected even if they were involved. The J-20 and J-16 in particular have very distinct superiority over fighter types in Republic of China Air Force service, with their growing numbers and expanding capabilities helping ensure that the balance of power in the air over the Taiwan Strait rapidly becomes increasingly favourable to the PLA. Efforts by the Republic of China Defence Ministry to procure F-35 fifth generation fighters capable of operating on a near peer level to the J-20 have repeatedly been rebuffed by the United States. 

The Republic of China Air Force has deployed F-16V fighters for aerial reconnaissance using infrared sensor pods in the past, including in December 2025 in response to the PLA’s launch of Justice Mission 2025 joint military drills around Taiwan Island. These operations similarly demonstrated real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities which the F-16’s AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, known colloquially as the Sniper Pod, could provide against mainland Chinese forces. The pod’s air-to-air surveillance range can reach up to 187 kilometres, enabling continuous monitoring of PLA air operations over considerable distances, including over mainland airspace, as the width of the Taiwan Strait itself is only 130 kilometres at its narrowest.

The Republic of China Armed Forces and the PLA serve opposing governments based in Taipei and Beijing respectively, which both claim to be the sole legitimate governments of China and remain in a state of cold civil war. With control of under 0.5 percent of Chinese territory, the Republic of China’s almost total lack of international recognition has been a major factor preventing it from procuring modern military equipment. The capabilities its F-16V fighters, and the F-16 Block 70 fighters it has on order, are both considered wholly insufficient to engage modern PLA fifth generation fighters, which are themselves seeing their capabilities rapidly improved through incremental modernisation. Compared to the J-16, the much lighter F-16s are also considered to be overwhelmingly outmatched, with the PLA fighter carrying a radar which is comparably advanced but close to four times as large and several times more powerful, while its flight performance and armaments remain considerably superior.