NEWS IN CONTEXT | F-16 Dreams Of PAF Alive Again

The Philippines was ready to ink 14 Swedish-made JAS38 Gripen fighters for about $1 billion this year when Washington revived an offer to transfer a squadron of the top-of-the-line F-16 multirole fighters to boost the military’ minimum credible defense capability. 

At the 2+2 ministerial meeting in Washington early this week, top defense and diplomatic officials from both the Philippines and the United States had agreed to speed up talks for the possible sale of Viper F-16s which would include training, maintenance and logistics.  

The deal would include armaments, like air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles as well as countermeasures. 

“Both sides underscored the importance of fast-tracking discussions on an acquisition plan for a fleet of multi-role fighter aircraft for the Philippine Air Force,” said a joint statement after the ministerial meeting. 

"We want to fast track the transfer of the multirole fighter because we really need the capability to intercept any intrusion into our airspace,” an air force general said. "We may have the radars to monitor and detect intrusions but we need the fighters to stop these aircraft. The FA-50s are not fast enough and equip well enough to challenge intruders." 

Senior Defense Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo,  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had also agreed to prioritize the modernization of shared defense capabilities, particularly in the maritime domain through the us foreign military financing and excess defense articles. 

The two sides also agreed to fast track the delivery of priority platforms over the next five to 10 years, including the F-16s, USS Cyclone-class patrol vessels, Black Hawk helicopters to replace the scrap Russian Mi-17 medium lift transport helicopters. 

The US promised to provide $100 million for helicopters over and above the usual military assistance package under the foreign military sales and excess defense articles. 

But the Philippines was more interested in the F-16s, which other Asian countries already have in their inventory.  

An air force colonel said the Philippines is ready to transition to F-16s after flying for several years the South Koran KAI FA-50, a lead-in trainer aircraft which has almost similar operating system with the F-16s. 

“Our pilots are already familiar with the aircraft, it will be easy to transition to F-16s,” the air force colonel said, adding the US will also provide training, maintenance and logistics support. 

Unlike the JAS38 Gripen, the F-16s multirole fighter package will come in a complete package that could be sustained for five years. 

In 2021, the US Congress approved the transfer of a squadron of 12 F-16s to the Philippines for $2.4 billion under the FMS program. However, the Philippines only has $1.2 billion and it decided to get the Gripen. 

The sale was delayed because of Sweden’s strict human rights clause under the administration of president Rodrigo Duterte. That issue has been resolved but the revival of the US F-16 offer put at risk the Gripen deal.