The Republic of China was one of the many nations to use surplus F-86 Sabre jet-fighters. The aircraft would engage in air combat with Chinese MiGs during the Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1958. Additionally, ROCAF Sabres were among the first aircraft to be equipped with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, which allowed them to compete against the superior performance of the Chinese MiG-17s. However, while the AIM-9's deployment was a considerable setback for the PLAAF, the situation changed when a Chinese MiG-17 returned to base with an unexploded AIM-9B lodged in its airframe. The missile was given to Soviet technicians, and subsequently reverse-engineered into the R-3 series of missiles.

As a supersonic fighter born in the late 1950s, the Northrop F-5 series jet fighters were a popular choice for many countries, as well as being a famous star in USAF’s Exercise Red Flag, where it performed well even against 3rd generation fighters such as the F-14 Tomcat. Although the US Air Force only used a limited number of F-5C “Skoshi Tigers” in the Vietnam War, both the F-5A “Freedom Fighter” and F-5E “Tiger II” have been involved in many wars and conflicts around the world, including service in the ROCAF.