PH yet to get formal offer on US fighter jets sale

MANILA – The Philippines has yet to receive a formal offer and proposal from the United States regarding the possible sale of the Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Wednesday.

"Wala pa kaming natatanggap na formal offer o proposal hanggang sa ngayon (We are still to receive any formal offer or proposal up to now)," he said when asked for an update on this matter during an ambush interview at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

The defense chief did not elaborate further.

The Philippines is looking for advanced fighter jets or multi-role fighters (MRFs) to beef up its fleet of FA-50PHs, described as light combat aircraft, that were acquired from South Korea's Korea Aerospace Industries from 2015 to 2017.

Philippine technical working groups, per earlier reports, are eyeing the F-16s and Sweden's SAAB JAS-39 "Gripen" MRFs for this project.

Last April 1, the United States Department of State approved the potential foreign military sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines for around USD5.58 billion.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the Philippine government has requested to buy 16 F-16C Block 70/72 fighter jets and four F-16D Block 70/72 aircraft.

The proposed sale, it said, will enhance the Philippine Air Force’s ability to conduct maritime domain awareness and close air support missions and enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses and aerial interdiction capabilities.

The sale, once made, will increase the ability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect vital interests and territory, as well as expand interoperability with the US forces.

"The Philippines will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region," the DSCA added.

Aside from the fighter jets, the package includes 24 F110-GE-129D or F100-PW-229 engines (20 installed, four spares); 22 improved programmable display generators (20 installed, two spares); 22 AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned array scalable agile beam radars (20 installed, two spares); 22 modular mission computers 7000AH (or available mission computer) (20 installed, two spares); 22 embedded global positioning system inertial navigation systems with selective availability anti-spoofing module or M-Code capability and precise positioning service (20 installed, two spares).

The package also includes assorted weapons systems and launchers, guns, air-to-air missiles, bombs, sensor, targeting equipment, electronic countermeasure systems, spare parts, technical support aside from simulators and training devices. (PNA)

(2025/04/23-06:41)