The Armed Forces of the Philippines intends to acquire multi-role fighter (MRF) aircraft for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to improve the country’s defense capabilities, AFP chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr., said.

Speaking to reporters shortly after the AFP first-semester command conference at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Brawner said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the military’s intention to purchase MRF aircraft. 

“There’s no final decision yet on what MRFs we are going to buy but definitely, the President has already approved that intention to buy MRFs. As to which one, I don't have a final decision,” he noted.

MRF is a multi-role combat aircraft used to attack enemy airplanes. 

“As to which one, we don’t have a decision yet, as to how many—we have not yet discussed that also but we really need multi-role fighters,”  Brawner stressed. 

The AFP chief touted the capabilities of the PAF’s premiere FA-50 light jet combat aircraft, which are crucial in the military’s external defense operations. 

The country has 12 units of FA-50s; however, Brawner said these are still insufficient. 

“We need to get more of this, jet fighters and the multirole fighters, because these are actually bigger, faster, and more lethal than the FA-50s we have now,” he added. 

The government’s Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft Acquisition Project for the PAF is part of Horizon 3 of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. 

Last May, the Philippines and Sweden signed a key agreement to support Manila’s planned acquisition of MRF aircraft.