THE covenant between the Philippines and the United States for the latter to sell 20 F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets to the former may raise eyebrows at home, where government critics suggest other priorities it should attend to.
We will not run through what policy makers have on their table. Surely they have considered every letter of government plans which may include marginal notes by the military’s commander-in-chief who has all intelligence information for his appreciation.
The move by Washington for the $5.58 billion deal was announced by the State Department on April 2, aimed at buoying up its major Southeast Asian ally amid rising regional tensions.
Despite its age, the F-16 remains a vital asset in many air forces around the world, including the US Air Force, and is not considered obsolete.
Military sources say the Block 70/72 variants are considered among the most advanced fourth-generation fighters, with Lockheed Martin stating they are the world’s most advanced fourth-generation fighter.
The F-16 fighter-jets, and other defense equipment, may be available for delivery in tranches starting next year, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said this week..
If the F16s are affordable for the Philippines – potentially the most ambitious, most expensive acquisition – on the frontline of conflicts in the West Philippine Sea, well within its the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, and with the approval of Congress and the President, the purchase will become part of the AFP modernization program.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a highly versatile, single-engine, supersonic, multi-role fighter aircraft, originally developed for the US Air Force, and has seen widespread use by the US and its allies in various conflicts, including the Israeli-Syrian conflict of 1982 and the Gulf War of 1990-91.
Defense analysts say a closer look reveals an intriguing twist: the price tag per F-16—averaging $279 million when factoring in the full package—nears the cost of the cutting-edge F-35, raising questions about value, economics, and the shifting dynamics of global arms markets.
The transaction, which includes advanced weaponry and support systems, was certified to the US Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, marking a significant step in modernizing the Philippine Air Force.
At first glance, this appears to be a standard military sale to enhance a partner’s defense capabilities, particularly in the contested South China Sea on the west shoreline of the Philippines where China Coast Guard and their vessels have in recent months repeatedly harassed Philippine boats on humanitarian mission and Filipino fishermen.
With a top speed exceeding Mach 2 and a combat radius of over 500 miles (800 kms), the Block 70/72 variant can handle air superiority, ground strikes, and maritime patrols—missions critical for the Philippines, an archipelago of over 7,000 islands facing both internal insurgencies and external pressures.
Compared to rivals like Russia’s Su-35, which boasts greater maneuverability and a larger payload, or China’s J-10C, a nimble single-engine fighter with indigenous stealth features, the F-16 Block 70/72 holds its own through reliability and interoperability with U.S. systems.