U.S. Approves $5.6 Billion F-16 Fighter Jet Deal for the Philippines

The United States has approved a potential sale of 20 F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets to the Philippines, marking a significant step in the country's military modernization efforts. Valued at approximately $5.58 billion USD, the deal includes:

16 single-seat F-16C Block 70/72 aircraft

4 twin-seat F-16D Block 70/72 aircraft

Associated weapons, equipment, and logistical support

This proposed sale was announced by the U.S. State Department and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on April 1, 2025. The DSCA emphasized that the sale supports U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening the defense capabilities of a key ally in Southeast Asia.

Philippine National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya clarified that the acquisition is not directed at any specific nation, including China, and reiterated that it is part of a broader modernization agenda for the Philippine Air Force.

The development follows a high-level visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Manila, where mutual defense commitments and enhanced regional deterrence were discussed.

Although the U.S. has approved the sale, the Philippine government is still in the early stages of the acquisition process and has yet to formally confirm or sign a contract for the aircraft.

NEWS 2022 March, 11

US Army Sends Two Army Patriot missile batteries to Poland Amid Ukraine War

The Pentagon is sending two Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries to Poland to counter potential threats to U.S. and NATO forces in the alliance’s territory.

Roughly 4,700 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division were dispatched to Poland last month to bolster NATO’s deterrence posture as Russian forces invaded Ukraine. Poland’s border has been a conduit through which man-portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons have traveled to Ukrainians fending off the Russian military.

The Patriot systems will come from the Rhine Ordnance Barracks in Germany. Russia has fired more than 600 missiles into Ukraine, and the Patriot system could also guard against a stray shot if the war creeps closer to Polish borders.

armytimes 

Philippines receives 2 T129 helos from Turkey

The first T129B attack helicopters arrived in the Philippines , six months later than originally expected.

Two Airbus A400M airlifters of the Turkish Air Force touched down at Clark Air Base outside the Philippine capital Manila , carrying two T129Bs along with logistics support equipment.

The Philippines has six helicopters on order under a $269 million government-to-government contract with Turkey that was signed in July 2020. 

The helicopters are manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries and is based on the AgustaWestland A129 Mangusta design. The new helos will be assigned to the Philippine Air Force’s 15th Strike Wing. 

The T129Bs will complement a pair of used Bell AH-1S HueyCobra attack helicopters acquired from Jordan, along with armed light observation and transport helicopters in the Philippine Air Force’s inventory.

The Philippines has also been recapitalizing its transport helicopter fleet with S-70i Black Hawks built under license by Poland’s PZL Mielec to  complement the Air Force’s fleet of Bell UH-1 Huey utility/transport helicopters.

defensenews

US National Guard gets funds to  get 20 more C-130J transport aircraft

Sixteen of the added C-130Js would go to the Air National Guard to modernize two operational wings. The remaining four would go to the Reserve.

The Air National Guard is now in the midst of a multiyear effort to upgrade its mobility fleet and replace its three-decade-old C-130H Hercules planes with modern C-130Js.

In November 2020, the Air Force announced it had selected Air National Guard bases in Kentucky, West Virginia, Texas and Georgia to receive 24 C-130Js to replace their aging “H” models. 

The budget deal also would considerably increase spending on C-130 modifications including upgrading older C-130s with eight-blade propellers and engine enhancements to make C-130Hs more efficient as well as to provide more thrust during takeoff and while climbing.

defensenews

Turkey revives insterest in developing developing domestic new generation combat aircraft

War between Russia and Ukraine, two Turkey’s partners, has given an unexpected jolt to the country’s quest for new fighter jets and its domestic program to make new-generation aircraft.

The war has practically killed all potential Turkish-Russian deals in strategic weapons systems.

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Turkey has maintained a delicate balance with Russia and Ukraine.

Turkey faced suspension from the U.S.-led multinational program that builds the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as it insisted on becoming the first NATO ally to deploy on its soil the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. Meanwhile, Turkey supplies armed drones to Ukraine.

The U.S. suspension of Turkey’s partnership in the F-35 program has left the country with limited options, given its fleet of F-16s will be phased out in the early 2030s. A Turkish request to acquire a new fleet of F-16 Block 70 aircraft will likely face opposition from U.S. lawmakers. In the past, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan indicated his government’s interest in Russian aircraft in place of the F-35.

One stopgap option for Turkey is to buy scores of the Eurofighter Typhoon and, in return, bargain for European know-how for its own fighter program, the TF-X.

defensenews

Four A-29s have arrived in Philippines

 

Four out of the six new Embraer Defense and Security A-29 "Super Tucano" close-air support aircraft, which are intended to beef up the Philippine Air Force (PAF)'s close-air support capabilities, have landed in Clark Air Base, Angeles City, Pampanga on Saturday. 

Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the four aircraft have landed in Clark Air Base around 1:06 p.m. while the other two are still in New Delhi, India, awaiting for clearance and would be flown to the Philippines at a later date. 

Embraer company pilots flew the aircraft from the company airfield in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and made fueling stops in the Canary Islands, Portugal, Malta, Egypt, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, India, Thailand, and Vietnam before landing in the Philippines. 

pna

U.S. Approves Sale of AH-64E Apache, AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters to Philippines

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale six AH-64E Apache and six AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to the Government of the Philippines.
The Government of the Philippines has requested to buy six (6) AH-1Z attack helicopters; fourteen (14) T-700 GE 401C engines (12 installed, 2 spares); seven (7) Honeywell Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation (EGIs) w/Precise Positioning Service (PPS) (6 installed, 1 spare); six (6) AGM-114 Hellfire II missiles; and twenty six (26) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) all up rounds.
defpost

Philippines Air Air Force likely to buy JAS-39 Grippen

After a thorough study and research, the Department of National Defense (DND) is most likely to buy the Swedish-made Gripenmulti-role supersonic jet fighter for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana made this disclosure in an exclusive interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on the sidelines of the book launching of former President Fidel V. Ramos at the Manila Hotel on Sunday.
Lorenzana said aside from being cheaper and less expensive in maintenance cost, the Gripen has been proven to be an excellent supersonic fighter aircraft.
The PAF has been scouting for over a decade of what jetfighter aircraft it would buy to replace the US-made F5A/B jet interceptors that retired in 2005 due to old age and lack of spare parts.
Since the F-5s were pulled from service, the Air Force tried to acquire advanced jetfighters such as the supersonic F-16 from the United States, but no progress was made.
Lorenzana said the United States government offered anew to sell F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines.
The offer, Lorenzana added, was made by US Defense Secretary James Mattis when the DND secretary visited Washington last month.
Lorenzana confirmed the US offer, but said the F-16 supersonic jetfighter interceptors are too expensive.
In comparison, the Gripen costs less and has the same capability with other multi-role jetfighters, including the F-16.
Since F-5s were put out of service, the PAF has no multi-role jetfighters in its arsenal, although it had bought from South Korea a dozen of F-50 jets but the planes’ capability is limited compared with the Gripen, F-16 and similar aircraft.
The acquisition of multi-role jetfighters, Lorenzana said, is badly needed to protect the country’s airspace.
pna.gov.ph

Philippines Orders Six A-29 Super Tucano

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has announced a firm order of six A-29 Super Tucano light-attack and advanced training aircraft for the Philippine Air Force.
The Southeast Asian nation, which is battling several insurgencies including against Islamic State-linked militants on several islands in the south of the country, had named Embraer as the sole compliant bidder for its close-air support aircraft requirement under the first stage of its Horizon modernization program in early June.
The order makes the Philippines the second Southeast Asian user of the Super Tucano after Indonesia. According to Thursday’s news release from Embraer, deliveries of the aircraft will be concluded in 2019. The value of the contract was not announced.
Mike Yeo-defensenews

Airbus Delivers Final C-295 to Philippines

Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the third and final C-295 medium transport destined for the Philippines Air Force, the company announced at the Singapore Airshow Tuesday.
The aircraft was ferried recently from the Airbus Seville, Spain, assembly line to Clark Air Base to take up airlift duties.
The Philippines joins Vietnam and Indonesia as a C-295 customer in the region.
defensenews

Third and Final C-295 Arrived at Philippines

The Philippine Air Force (PAF)'s third and last C-295 medium-lift transport aircraft finally arrived at Clark Air Base, Angeles City, Pampanga Friday afternoon.
The plane departed from Seville, Spain last Dec. 4 and made stopovers in several countries before landing in the Philippines.
The last C-295 transport aircraft was flown by pilots of Airbus Defense and Space.
It will still undergo technical inspection and acceptance process before it will be turnover to the PAF.
Last Dec. 5, President Benigno S. Aquino graced the turnover of the second C-295, two FA-50PH supersonic lead-in fighter jets and six AW-109E Attack Helicopter at 250th Presidential Airlift Wing Ramp,Villamor Air Base while Secretary Voltaire Gazmin led the turnover of the first C-295 last March 30.
The three C-295 medium-lift fixed-wing acquisition program is part of the PAF modernization program amounting.
defense-studies

Two F/A-50 Fighter Jets Arrive in Philippines

Two of a squadron of FA-50 Lead-In Fighter Trainers (LIFT) that the Philippines acquired from South Korea arrived Saturday morning, November 28, at the former US air base in Clark, Pampanga.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) flew S-211 trainer jets in a diamond formation to meet the FA-50s over Tarlac. A Water Cannon Salute was given to the jets while they were taxiing.
The arrival of the fighter jets marks the return of the Philippine Air Force to the supersonic age.
The jets were flown to the Philippines by South Korean pilots and will only be formally turned over to the Philippine Air Force after a series of acceptance flights.
Ten more FA-50s will arrive between 2016 and 2017 to complete the squadron.
The military modernization comes as the country faces the aggressiveness of China in the South China Sea, where it has built artificial islands.
defense-studies

Philippines confirms its interest in getting P-3C, helicopters from Japan

The Department of National Defense on Thursday confirmed reports that it is planning to acquire a P-3C patrol aircraft from Japan to boost the military’s capabilities especially in monitoring the nation’s maritime boundaries.
Several P3-C Orion aircraft from Japan’s Self Defense Force are participating in ongoing military exercises in Philippines.
The aircraft, together with a Philippine Navy Islander spotter plane, conducted a joint patrol exercise near the Recto (Reed) Bank off the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).
Aside from the Orion aircraft, Galvez said the Philippines is also eyeing to acquire helicopters from Japan.
manilatimes

The Philippines Could Acquire P-3C Orion From Japan

Japan and the Philippines agreed to strengthen security ties and discussed transferring military equipment and technology on Thursday in Tokyo's latest move to strengthen cooperation with Southeast Asian countries to counter China's maritime ambitions.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Philippine President Benigno Aquino also agreed to expand joint training and exercises between their militaries and to co-operate in building up the Philippines Coast Guard.
China has become increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, building artificial islands in areas over which the Philippines and other countries have rival claims.
The Philippines has already handed the Tokyo government a list of Japanese military equipment it wants to acquire such as P-3C maritime surveillance aircraft, a senior Philippine naval officer has said.
reuters

Philippines Coast Guard to Acquire 4 'Sherpa' Transport Aircraft

In a bid to boost its air monitoring capability, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) announced that it is now conducting talks with the US military for the acquisition of four Short C-23 "Sherpa" transport aircraft.
Two of the aircraft will be brand-new while the remaining two will be "Excess Defense Articles".
The C-23s will augment the existing Norman Britten Islander planes being operated by the PCG for maritime patrol missions.
defense-studies

U.S. Navy alarmed at Beijing’s ‘Great Wall of sand’ in South China Sea

China is building a “Great Wall of sand” through an unparalleled program of land reclamation in the South China Sea, raising concerns about the possibility of military confrontation in the disputed waters, according to U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Satellite images show rapid construction on various coral reefs and rocks controlled by China within the disputed Spratly Islands, including harbors, piers, helipads, buildings and potentially at least one airstrip, experts say.
China has created 1.5 square miles of artificial landmass in recent months.
China is building artificial land by pumping sand onto live coral reefs — some of them submerged — and paving them over with concrete, in a region known for its beautiful natural islands, he said.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea as its territorial waters, but its claims overlap with those of Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
Last month, Chinese Foreign Minister said that the country was merely carrying out “necessary construction on its own islands and reefs” and that it would continue to uphold freedom of navigation in the busy shipping waters of the South China Sea
washingtonpost

Philippines's C-295 Will Be Configured for Maritime Patrol

The Philippine Air Force said on Monday its newly-acquired Airbus Military C-295 can be modified and fitted for maritime patrol work.
It is capable of being fitted with external fuel tanks and pods which can be equipped with sensors and surveillance equipment needed for maritime patrol work, by fitting pylons to the wings of the aircraft.
The C-295 is capable of staying aloft for 11 hours.
Philippines has an existing order for three C-295s at Airbus Military.
Training for the first batch of four PAF pilots and 24 maintenance crew was done in Seville, Spain and was completed last March 10.
The first C-295 arrived at the former Clark Air Base in Pampanga in March 22. Its arrival is five months earlier than the scheduled August delivery date.
The two remaining planes are expected to be delivered in the last quarter of 2015.
defense-studies

Philippines Air Force takes delivery of its first C295

The Philippines Air Force has taken delivery of the first of three Airbus C295 medium transport aircraft ordered from Airbus Defence and Space. The aircraft was formally handed over in Seville, Spain where the final assembly line is located and is now being ferried to the Philippines. In Philippines Air Force service the C295 will play a key role in the modernization of the force´s transport fleet and will undertake a wide variety of military and humanitarian missions.
airbusgroup

Philippines to Get First Two FA-50s Ahead Schedule

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will deliver two FA-50 light-attack aircraft to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) ahead of schedule in December.
Manila signed a contract to buy 12 FA-50s on 28 March 2014, under which KAI was to deliver all the aircraft by mid-2017.
Philippine President Aquino inspected an FA-50 at Gimhae Air Base in South Korea in December 2014, and at the time told reporters he expected the 12 aircraft to just be the start of increased defence co-operation between the two countries.
defense-studies

The Philippine Navy Armed AW-109s to be Commissioned in May

The Philippine Navy (PN) has announced that its two armed AgustaWestland AW-109 "Power" helicopters will be commissioned during its 117th anniversary on May 27.
The two armed AW-109 airframes arrived in the country last December as part of the five-helicopter deal signed by the Philippines with AgustaWestland in early 2013.
Three of the AW-109s were delivered and commissioned on Dec. 22, 2013.
The armed versions of the AW-109s will be armed will have machine guns, 20mm cannons and possibly with air-to-ground rockets.
For shipboard operations, the aircraft has a reinforced-wheeled landing gear and deck mooring points as well as extensive corrosion protection measures.
defense-studies

Australia, Philippines, South Korea interested in gunship conversions

ATK has received significant interest in its gunship and light attack aircraft conversions from a number of Asia-Pacific countries.
Interest in ATK's tactical transport gunship conversions has been particularly strong from several regional countries, with capability discussions ongoing.
Australia is very interested in the MC-27J [special mission aircraft, which ATK developed with airframer Alenia Aermacchi]; Indonesia has shown interest in the [Airbus Defence and Space] CN-235 and C-295 gunship conversions; the Philippines recently bought [surplus Lockheed Martin] C-130Ts, which ATK have briefed about converting [into roll-on/roll-off gunships]; and ATK have briefed South Korea on gunship applications for the CN-235 too..
ATK's light attack and gunship conversion work has become especially popular over recent years, with Iraq receiving Hellfire-armed AC-208 Combat Caravans, Jordan receiving AC-235 gunships (with a contract for AC-295s expected imminently), and Italy signing for the MC-27J special mission aircraft.
janes

Philippines Navy to Commission Two Attack AW-109s by May

The two AgustaWestland AW-109 "Power" attack helicopters of the Philippine Navy (PN) will be commissioned this coming May.
No date of commissioning yet but the target is to be in time or prior the the 117th Navy Day celebrations this coming May.
At the moment, the Navy's AW-109s is still undergoing Bureau of Customs documentation, duties.
The two Navy AW-109s, in disassembled condition, arrived last Dec. 28.
It is part of the five helicopter contract signed by the Navy with aircraft manufacturer AgustaWestland last 2013.
The first three units were delivered and commissioned in December 2013.
These AW-109s will be armed with machine guns, 20mm cannons and possibly, with air-to-ground rockets.
defense-studies

Philippines to buy two C-130 transport planes from US Navy

The Philippine military yesterday signed a pact with the US Navy to buy two secondhand C-130 transport planes to boost its capability to fan out quickly for territorial defence and humanitarian operations.
Washington has been helping develop the military capability of its former colony in the face of serious security challenges in the South China Sea, as China steps up its presence in disputed areas.
China claims almost all of the sea, believed to be rich in mineral and oil-and-gas deposits.
Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines also have claims on the waters.
The transport planes, to be delivered early next year, will take to five the number of mission-ready C-130s.
gulf-times