April 3, 2025
MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed Washington’s announcement of the possible sale of F-16 aircraft to Manila, a move which a security expert believes would easily hurdle the required US congressional approval.
The US State Department green-lighted the sale, which includes 20 F-16 jets and related equipment to the country, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Tuesday.
READ: US approves sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets worth $5.5 billion to PH
“Anything that will modernize and propel us to greater heights with our assets, we gratefully welcome that for the Armed Forces,” said AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla in a radio dwPM interview on Wednesday.
Padilla then referred to the Department of National Defense (DND) for further details.
“Nonetheless, we remain steadfast in our mission to defend the nation while anticipating future enhancements that will strengthen our ability to safeguard our territory,” she said in another statement.
For his part, Defense Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong, the DND spokesperson, told reporters that his agency, which implements the Philippine military acquisition programs, had “not received any official notice of such a decision.”
Adds deterrence
The $5.5 billion F-16 sale will help the Philippine Air Force (PAF) boost its “ability to conduct maritime domain awareness” and “enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses,” according to the DSCA.
When asked to react to this statement, PAF spokesperson Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo also declined to comment as she referred the matter to DND.
“The PAF can only comment on issues or give statements regarding assets that had been turned over to us as end-users,” Castillo told reporters.
“Nonetheless, we continue to perform our mandate, as we also look forward to future developments that will further enhance our capabilities to protect our nation and our skies,” she added.
Easy nod on F-16 seen
Security expert Chester Cabalza told INQUIRER.net that the F-16 would be a great addition to the PAF fleet, but he reminded the government that it should also invest in rudimentary requirements of such assets.
“Acquisition of F-16 from the US Armed Forces is an add-on force requirement to beef up the Philippines’ air power and defense system,” Cabalza, president and founder of Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said in an interview on Wednesday.
“While Manila widens its collection for multi-role fighter jets, it must also set high vision for rudimentary requirements ranging from hardware to software of air power capabilities including more airdrome for expensive aircrafts and professional development aligned in its new strategy on territorial defense and self-reliant defense posture,” he added.
The DSCA said the F-16 sale was sent to the US Congress for approval, and Cabalza expressed optimism that it would easily hurdle Washington’s bicameral chamber.
“Most likely there is a chance that it would be approved as Washington braces itself for a tougher reengagement with Manila to widen their ironclad alliance,” he said.