The Taiwanese air force Pilot killed in a Jan. 21 F-16 crash near Luke AFB, Ariz., has been identified as 31-year-old Maj. Kao Ting-cheng, a student at Luke’s international training program who had clocked 865 flight hours. The American Institute in Taiwan, an organization that represents US interests in Taiwan, identified the pilot in a Jan. 23 post on its Facebook page, expressing “deep condolences to the family and friends” of the pilot. Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported Kao was a 2007 graduate of Taiwan’s Air Force Academy. The Taiwanese air force is sending three officials to the US to assist with the investigation. Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, commander of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke, has convened a safety investigation board to determine the cause of the mishap, which occurred during basic fighter maneuver training near Bagdad, Ariz.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
