In Signal to Beijing, US Clears Massive F-16 Fighter Sale to Philippines

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a move that signals deepening strategic alignment in Southeast Asia, the United States Department of State has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale of 20 advanced F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, valued at an estimated US$5.58 billion (approximately RM26.4 billion).

The proposed acquisition includes 16 F-16C Block 70/72 multirole fighters and four F-16B Block 70/72 twin-seat variants, representing a generational leap in the Philippine Air Force’s tactical airpower.

This landmark notification follows closely on the heels of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s high-profile visit to Manila, where he reinforced Washington’s intent to bolster military partnerships across the Indo-Pacific theatre.

During that visit, Hegseth vowed to “reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region” in the face of what he described as “threats from the Communist Chinese.”

The notification was formally submitted to the U.S. Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), marking the beginning of a crucial window for legislative review.

As is customary with Foreign Military Sales, the final configuration, delivery timeline, and pricing remain subject to bilateral negotiations between Manila and Washington.

Under U.S. law, Congress has 30 days to raise objections to the sale, although such challenges are exceedingly rare—particularly when involving a treaty ally facing real-time maritime pressure from Beijing.

According to the official DSCA release, “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in Southeast Asia.”

“The proposed sale will enhance the Philippine Air Force’s ability to conduct maritime domain awareness and close air support missions and enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) and aerial interdiction capabilities.”

“This sale will also increase the ability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect vital interests and territory, as well as expand interoperability with the U.S. forces.”

The F-16V, also known as the Block 70/72, is the most advanced configuration of the world’s most prolific fighter jet, offering upgraded mission computers, state-of-the-art radar, next-generation electronic warfare systems, and network-centric combat capabilities.

The package includes 24 Pratt & Whitney F100 or General Electric F110 jet engines, depending on final configuration, along with 22 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars, providing 360-degree all-weather targeting and superior airspace control.

The weapon suite accompanying the aircraft will dramatically transform the Philippines’ ability to hold air and maritime threats at risk across the South China Sea and beyond.

The inventory includes 112 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs—some of the most capable beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles in the U.S. arsenal—alongside 40 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinders for close-in engagements.

The deal also encompasses 36 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (Increment 1), precision-guided munitions ideal for strike missions in complex littoral environments like the disputed Spratly Islands.

For realistic training, 32 AIM-9X Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM) are included, alongside a mix of 60 MK-82 (500-lb) and 60 MK-84 (2,000-lb) general-purpose bombs, equipping the PAF with both pinpoint and area strike capabilities.

Enhancing the aircraft’s strike effectiveness, the package features 12 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods—battle-tested assets capable of delivering precise target acquisition and laser guidance in day or night conditions.

The proposed sale also strengthens the PAF’s command-and-control architecture, with 24 MIDS-JTRS systems enabling encrypted, high-bandwidth data-sharing between air and ground units in real-time combat scenarios.

For survivability in contested electronic environments, the package includes AN/ALQ-254 Viper Shield electronic warfare systems or equivalent jamming suites capable of disrupting modern radar and missile tracking systems.

Additional assets such as infrared search and track (IRST) sensors, Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) systems, and LAU-117/LAU-88 missile launchers for Maverick missiles further enhance both kinetic and non-kinetic mission sets.

The strategic importance of this arms transfer goes far beyond aircraft—it’s a signal that Washington is doubling down on its Indo-Pacific pivot amid Beijing’s increasingly assertive behaviour in regional flashpoints such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

The Trump-era reorientation of U.S. force posture toward Asia—initially criticised as premature—now finds renewed validation as the region becomes the epicentre of 21st-century great power rivalry.

This recalibration has taken place even as U.S. forces remain engaged in Europe, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to draw significant strategic and logistical attention.

Meanwhile, Manila and Beijing remain locked in an escalating series of maritime confrontations, with the latest standoffs occurring near Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal—areas well within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

China continues to assert sweeping claims over nearly the entire South China Sea through its controversial “nine-dash line,” despite the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in The Hague which rejected those claims as lacking any legal foundation.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department clarified that the sale would only proceed once a signed “Letter of Offer and Acceptance” is received from the Philippine government.

Philippine Department of National Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong, however, told AFP that he had “not received any official notice of such a decision.”

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA