The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has yet to make a final decision on the acquisition of 20 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets, AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said Monday, stressing that all options remain under study regarding the country’s multi-role fighter (MRF) aircraft procurement.
Brawner emphasized the critical role of MRFs in defending the Philippines from external threats.
“Well, we're studying all of our options. But definitely, we want to buy multi-role fighters because we need multi-role fighters to defend our country, whether these are the F-16s or the Gripen or whatever other multi-role fighters — we’re just studying them,” Brawner said in an ambush interview after attending the 49th anniversary of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry “Jungle” Division in Tanay, Rizal.
Earlier this month, the United States Department of State approved the possible foreign military sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, estimated at $5.58 billion.
“We're happy that the US Congress approved the sale of 20 F-16s to us, to the Philippines. But there is no final decision of this,” Brawner said.
“Hopefully, we will be able to expedite the acquisition of these assets because these are very important,” he added.
He also noted that a separate procurement for an additional 12 FA-50 fighter jets is already progressing.
“Acquiring more FA-50s — those additional 12 FA-50 jet fighters is a bit more possible because it's already in the pipeline. But as to the multi-role fighters, we're still in the process of determining which ones we can get according to our fiscal space, according to how we can afford these platforms,” Brawner pointed out.
Malacañang earlier welcomed the US government’s approval of the potential sale of the F-16s, calling it a move that would enhance the Philippines’ defense posture.
It also clarified that details of the acquisition, including pricing and payment terms, are still being finalized.
F-16s are known for their agility, speed, and versatility and are capable of executing a range of missions — from air-to-air combat and air-to-ground attacks to deep interdiction — making them a valuable asset in modern air defense.