A Philippine request for sale of F-16 fighter jets has received U.S. approval with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notifying the U.S. Congress of a possible sale. The Government of the Philippines is eyeing the procurement of 16 F-16 C Block 70/72 aircraft and 4 F-16 D Block 70/72 aircraft. The Philippines has yet to make a choice between F110-GE-129D or F100-PW-229 engines.
The DSCA notification stated that the proposed sale of F-16s would enhance the Philippine Air Force’s ability to conduct maritime domain awareness and close air support missions and enhance its Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) and aerial interdiction capabilities.
The U.S. has approved the sale of AN/APG-83 AESA Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABR), AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP), AN/ALQ-254 Viper Shield (VS) EW systems or equivalent systems, Scorpion Hybrid Optical-based Inertial Trackers (HObIT) or Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems II (JHMCS II) helmet mounted displays and Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS).
The weaponry cleared as part of the sale includes Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) - AIM-120C-8 or equivalent missiles; GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment 1 (SDB-1); AIM-9X Block II SIDEWINDER missiles and Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) KMU-572 tail kits for GBU-38 or Laser JDAM GBU-54s.
The Philippine Air Force presently operates 12 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 light fighters with an intention to double this number. In December, last year, it also contracted Embraer Defence & Space for 6 additional A-29B Super Tucano light attack aircraft.
Image Credit: Lockheed Martin
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