Department of National Defense' Multirole Fighter Jet Package Proposal, Explained

The budget hearings in the bicameral chambers of Congress presented several interesting insights relating to the plans, programs, and prospects that the Department of National Defense has in improving the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in both firepower and logistical areas, addressing the challenges on both territorial defense and immediate deployment in the times of calamity.

Information that has provided in the said budget hearings are a mouthful that it does not simply get accomplished in a single writeup, but several highlights deserves to provide a full context on the vision that the Department of National Defense lies on its long-term capability improvement, especially on the ones set for the Philippine military. One of those visions delves into the most discussed acquisition project of the Philippine Armed Forces to date, which is the Philippine Air Force's plans of securing the purchase for its multirole fighter jets.

THE BUDGET HEARING

The Department of National Defense aims to get a full package for the Philippine Air Force's Multirole Fighter Jet Acquisition.
Sources of Images from Efrain Noel Morota (upper left), SAAB (upper right), Wikimedia Commons (lower left), German Air Force (lower right)

The multiple budget hearings that the Department of National Defense has before both chambers of Congress - in the House of Representatives and the Senate  - presented an insight into how the department will set its direction in the upcoming years. 

One of the interesting tidbits from this is their proposal to repeal Republic Act 10349, or the Revised AFP Modernization Law, and instead have its acquisition project funding done through a project-based scheme. The proposal to repeal deserves its own set of discussion.

At that specific budget hearing done together with the Senate Committee on Defense, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr highlighted the concerns relating to its current budgetary position, casting doubts that the fiscal room provided is small for the department to push for other projects under the Revised AFP Modernization Program, highlighting primarily to the purchase of the Multi-Role Fighter Jets of the Philippine Air Force, together with its associated packages.

When asked about how much money the Department of National Defense needs in buying the fighter jets for the Philippine Air Force, Secretary Teodoro highlighted that the project requires a budget of around Php 400 billion, even more if included other components that form part of the ‘multirole fighter jet package proposal’ of the department. 

The said components refer to what the defense department wants to include in the project - the Midair Refueling Tankers and Airborne Warning and Control System or AWACS.

After the budget requirements got presented, the next question delved into the number of squadrons that the Department of National Defense seeks in providing for the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter requirement, in which the defense secretary in return said that the budget is for the purchase of at least three (3) squadrons of the multi-role fighter jets of the Philippine Air Force. For context, a single squadron comes with twelve (12) fighter jets, with a full three (3) fighter jet squadron being at thirty-six (36) units.

The rationale of this bold and expensive undertaking of the Department of National Defense’s presentation for the multirole fighter jet package delves primarily to the long-term vision it entails, or what the Secretary of National Defense believes as a real force boost for the Philippine Air Force, rather than relying on a single squadron of the same multirole fighter jets, labeling them as a ‘token purchase’ that does not present real impact to the country’s territorial defense deterrence efforts.

Revisiting it again, the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter jet acquisition project is an active, ongoing acquisition project that is getting competition with the following aerospace companies that aims to secure the bid of getting the contract - US-based aerospace company Lockheed Martin and the F-16 Viper Block 70/72 variant, Sweden’s SAAB and the JAS-39 Gripen Block E/F variant, and the newest entrant being the Leonardo Eurofighter 2000 Typhoon Tranche 5. 

This discussion will not cover much about the multirole fighter jet candidates for this deal, and instead will cover more on the following key features, which is on the number of squadrons that the Department of National Defense aims to get in this arrangement, the inclusion made for both the Airborne Warning and Control System and Midair Refueling Tankers, the financing schemes and perks that aerospace companies offer, and the advantages and disadvantages this proposal entail to the deal in its entirety.

NUMBER OF SQUADRONS

The number of multirole fighter jets alone plays a role in an effective air defense deterrence.
From AIIRSOURCE Channel, YouTube.

The first contention in the budget hearing discussion between the Senate committee for defense and the Department of National Defense regarding the acquisition of Multi-role Fighter Jets for the Philippine Air Force is with the number of fighter squadrons that the said department aims to get in a single transaction. What followed is a clear and concise statement from the Secretary of National Defense, fully specifying that they aim to get at least three (3) fighter squadrons at one go.

The number specified is the clearest one ever provided from the Department of National Defense, and is also the most recent one that define the multirole fighter jet package proposal that they aim to get, with the support of the Congress, together with the Department of Finance and the Department of Budget and Management in coming up either with a creative financing scheme, or an increased budgetary allotment to make this highest valued military purchase to date possible.

For context, a squadron of fighter jets within the Philippine Air Force stands at around twelve (12) units, as this is at best exhibited with how the Fifth Fighter Wing organizes the batch sales of the Korean-made FA-50s that it made through the years. 

First in 2015 and then in 2025, the air service branch of the Philippine Armed Forces always has its eyes fixated into securing at least twelve (12) units of fighter jet per batch, as it comes clearly given with the orders made for the FA-50 Lead-In Fighter Trainers.

Carrying it over to the multi-role fighter jet package proposal, and the picture comes clear that the Department of National Defense aims to get at least thirty-six (36) multirole fighters or three (3) squadrons of twelve (12) each per squadron of multirole fighters, or forty (40) multirole fighters if we based from their previous statements regarding the project. The numbers provided provide an ideal setup, where there are at least thirty-six (36) single-seater multirole fighter jets and four (4) dual-seater conversion trainer jets.

Of course, having such a large number for an order of multirole fighter jets that counts as the most unprecedented one in the country’s defense history also comes with a heavy price tag, one that cast doubt whether the deal might push through as the history of budgetary allotments released for the Department of National Defense or the Revised AFP Modernization Program can only fund military projects at an extent, that the numbers presented only come as ‘piecemeal’ at best.

To be fair with the people in the Department of National Defense, getting this project funded in one go, either through an overhauled legislation on foreign borrowings or by a boosted annual defense budget, gives a significant boost worth counting as a great leap for the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, rather than relying on ‘token’ accomplishments that is to get a squadron of multirole fighter jets and call it a day, with the Philippine Air Force getting the minimum number.

As the thirty-six (36) multirole fighter jets isn’t enough for a package proposal pushed by the Department of National Defense, the next part of the discussion will also include other crucial parts of what count as a comprehensive air defense solution, where networked nodes with up-to-date shared critical information gives added capabilities for the proposed fighter jets, one that clearly means giving additional eye in the sky that can detect threats coming from afar.

AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM (AWACS)

SAAB has the Erieye AWACS as part of its offer for the JAS-39 Gripen E/F variant of the Philippine Air Force.
Image Source.

The package for multirole fighter jets, as what the Department of National Defense is proposing, does not limit to just the number of fighter jets alone but also includes other military assets that give more eyes in the sky, an integrated networked system that coordinates updated movements of the air force belonging to the foreign adversary in the patch of an airspace that count as the current area of operations at the time that a mission gets carried out.

That ‘added eyes in the sky’ component refers to having the Airborne Warning and Control System or ‘AWACS’ included in the package, one that comes with advanced radar and other related sensors onboard that can detect upcoming threats, whether it might be an enemy fighter aircraft or an upcoming missile that might pose a threat against critical facilities that the Philippines have scattered across the country, passing through and entering inside the Philippine airspace.

Being the one that has a full vision of the airspace domain, the Airborne Warning and Control System is also the one responsible to coordinate multirole fighter jet pilots as a command-and-control component into conducting operations that involves targeting both ground and aerial targets at a long distance given its deployment. 

This extra capability adds up to the force package presented by the Department of National Defense as a necessary part of the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter jet purchase.

As the idea of including AWACS to the force package of the Philippine Air Force comes into mind, so does the number of candidates that might likely end up in the Philippine Air Force’s inventory, depending on which of the candidates for the project will come up as the winner to the project. As for SAAB, there is a likelihood that they will offer the SAAB Erieye multi-domain AWACS that will come alongside the JAS-39 Gripen E/F offer, itself likely to use the SAAB 340 aircraft as its primary platform of choice.

SAAB’s own AWACS solution that itself produces comes as an advantage compared to its competitors in the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter jet acquisition program, as other aerospace companies like Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) does not have its own produced AWACS platform at the time this article publishes. For Lockheed Martin, while it produces the ‘AN/APY-9 radar’ for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, the AWACS product itself is actually from Northrop Grumman.

For Korea Aerospace Industries, it currently does not have its own AWACS product at the time this article has published, although a combination of AWACS from other suppliers might come together with its KF-21 Boramae deal with the Philippine Air Force shall things be pushed through. One thing that comes to mind is once again SAAB’s GlobalEye AWACS offer, as there is a memorandum of understanding between SAAB and KAI regarding this arrangement.

With the AWACS platform included in the Multirole Fighter Jet package that the Department of National Defense wanted for the Philippine Air Force to have as part of an integrated systems-based air defense suite, the variation of solutions depends on the preferable candidate for the project, with SAAB clearly in the advantage of providing this type of platform as an integrated package, as they are the only one among aerospace companies taking part that can produce its own AWACS aircraft.

MULTI-ROLE TANKER TRANSPORT (MRTT)

Depending on the package, AWACs like the Airbus A330 MRTT have the chance to be on the Philippine Air Force's inventory of support aircraft.
This is a U.S. Air Force photo by Christian Turner, Wikimedia Commons

The next component that the Department of National Defense presents as part of the multirole fighter jet acquisition program package of support system is the one that ensures that each fighter aircraft gets extended operational support all throughout the mission operations, and even beyond the capability of each unit’s onboard fuel tanks which means extended operational time and range as required in a solidified air operations. Entering the scene is an aerial refueling aircraft.

Also known as a multirole tanker transport aircraft or just simply a tanker aircraft, this unit plays a key role in extended air operations of a multirole fighter jet, as its purpose is to replenish operating aircraft with jet fuel through a rigid boom system or a flexible probe-and-drogue system, depending on the aircraft that come with either of the said two (2) mid-air refueling configuration. Notable examples of such aircraft are the Airbus A330 MRTT (Multirole Tanker Transport) and Boeing KC-46 Pegasus.

This is where Lockheed Martin and Eurofighter (via Airbus) have an advantage in offering an aerial refueling aircraft as part of the multirole fighter jet package, whereby the former already has the tanker variant of the C-130 aircraft known as the KC-130J, in use by the likes of the United States Marine Corps for their aircraft operations. 

The only concern with this offer is that the KC-130J comes with a flexible probe-and-drogue system, while the F-16 Viper it offers has a mid-air refueling design with a rigid boom system in mind.

The incompatibility between the KC-130J aerial refueling tanker aircraft and F-16 Viper fighter jets in terms of the mid-air refueling systems incorporated onboard can get mitigated with the F-16s coming with receptacles that enable the aircraft to have mid-air refueling capabilities compatible with the KC-130J aircraft, enabling Lockheed Martin to offer both the KC-130J and the F-16 Viper as part of its own multirole fighter jet package that the Department of National Defense seeks on.

Another competing entity is the Eurofighter consortium, where Airbus is a member itself, although the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 5 multirole fighter offer for the Philippine Air Force goes through another aerospace company, which is through the Italian-based firm named Leonardo. 

With the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 5 coming as a product of the consortium that Leonardo and Airbus are both members of, inserting the Airbus A330 MRTT in the offer makes sense for its own MRF package offer.

Airbus and its A330 MRTT come with a rigid boom system that is more compatible with the F-16 Block 70/72 Viper offer of Lockheed Martin, as compared to the KC-130J tanker aircraft that comes with the flexible hose and drogue system. 

It is also compatible with the KF-21 Boramae that Korea Aerospace Industries or KAI offered to the Philippine Air Force, as the Republic of Korea Air Force also operates the passenger jet-inspired Airbus aircraft for its own operational requirements.

With both the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and aerial refuel tankers included in the multirole fighter jet package, along with the Department of National Defense’s aim into getting at least three (3) squadrons of fighter jets in one go, the next part of the discussion will involve one of the largest hurdles that they will face amidst the plans into modernizing the capabilities of the Philippine Air Force in one go, one that involves the availability of budget and similar financial schemes. 

CREATIVE FINANCING SCHEME

The Honorable Secretary of National Defense's statement on the creative financing scheme as proposed before the country's private sector.
From the Department of National Defense Facebook Page.

To resolve the problem that surrounds the financial hurdles that will help support the Philippine Air Force and the Department of National Defense’ comprehensive multirole fighter jet package, they are pushing on an amendment in legislation that would enable them to secure soft loan and similarly crafted financial arrangement from foreign governments and institutions, basically enabling them to secure the purchase of the entire deal as presented by different aerospace candidates in the project.

One idea that comes from this hurdle is the proposed enactment of the Department of National Defense transformation bill, which aims to have a provision that points on the defense spending of the entire department, including those for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to have an allotment increase until it reaches at least 2% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP as a measuring stick for its annual budget, with an additional provision that there will be adjustments in every ten (10) years.

With the proposed enactment of the Department of National Defense transformation bill is the call to repeal the Revised AFP Modernization Law or the Republic Act 10349, on which the Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro said that the law has ‘outlived’ its purpose in supporting the capability improvement projects of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The said law, while providing sufficient support in improving the capabilities of the AFP, said that its efforts come ‘insufficient’ as technology paces on.

Aside from the Department of National Defense Transformation bill, another piece of legislation that is also being looked at is on the revisions in the Presidential Decree No. 415, known as the ‘Authorizing the Secretary of National Defense to Enter Into Defense Contracts to Implement Projects Under the Self-Reliance Defense Programs and For Other Purposes’. This legislation has a provision that limits the amount allowable for the Philippine government to avail the soft loans and similar arrangements for defense.

Under the said presidential decree, the limiting factor lies in Section 3, clearly detailing that the Secretary of National Defense can only undertake soft loans, supplier’s credit, and other arrangements relating to the purchase of expensive military hardware under this financial scheme type at the limit of around Three Hundred Million United States Dollars or US$ 300,000,000.00 or Php 17.4 Billion if based on the January 1, 2026 exchange rate of US$1.00 - Php 58.00.

This means that the Philippine military cannot go beyond the said amount into taking a soft loan or similar financial arrangement without undertaking amendments of the said Presidential Decree, which also means that the efforts undertaking for the Revised AFP Modernization Program is always at the mercy of the yearly enactment of the General Appropriations Act and its allotments to the Revised AFP Modernization Program. Such a scheme is insufficient given its annual record of limited budget allotments.

Its approval is crucial in the ongoing modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as the said Presidential Decree comes as a limiting factor for the Department of National Defense in getting multi-billion soft loan arrangements that can secure needed military hardware like the multi-role fighter jets and submarines. Lacking the support for this proposal will hamper the efforts to improve the Philippine military’s capability to provide the needed deterrence for its territorial-level defense posture.

ENDING NOTE

Italian arms supplier Leonardo actively markets the Eurofighter Typhoon 2000 to the Philippine Air Force.
Image Source.

At the time this article publishes, the 2026 General Appropriations Act introduces a special provision for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, enabling the Secretary of National Defense to undertake soft loan arrangement and similar schemes when buying expensive military hardware, which means this topic relating to multirole fighter jet packages that the Philippine Air Force and the Department of National Defense aspires to get is now slowly getting its way into reality.

It also means that the government might give a way to secure loans well beyond the limits provided under the Presidential Decree 415, while being compliant to the said decree by having the loans approved by both the Office of the President and the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP. 

That will give all the needed support that the Department of National Defense needs in securing not only the aforementioned MRF package but also other equally expensive ones such as the Philippine Navy submarines.

This also correlates to the Philippine Air Force’s expanded interest on the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet produced by Korea Aerospace Industries, as it has the potential to have an expanded capability for a full-fledged multirole fighter jet, as its technological path includes integration of such capability under the Block II phase of the program. 

Currently, the KF-21 Boramae’s capability is limited to the air superiority role entailed from its original Block I phase of the entire development of Korea’s own indigenous stealth fighter.

The delivery dates that the Philippine Air Force seeks if the KF-21 Boramae deal pushes through, give a clear suggestion that there is a high likelihood that the said service branch might secure this deal, giving a way for them to secure a more capable fighter aircraft than the FA-50 light fighter trainer it currently operates and is now adding more squadron on the fleet, as this is the ideal path or ladder for end-users that uses military aircraft produced by the likes of Korea Aerospace Industries.

Another potential deal that comes with soft loans is the one with Leonardo regarding the Eurofighter Typhoon 2000 Tranche 5, as the Italian financing firm SACE met with officials of the Department of National Defense as a way of advancing its marketing of the capable fighter aircraft made by the consortium that Leonardo belongs, aside from its marketing of providing after-sales and logistical support for the aircraft once the Philippine Air Force decides in getting this multirole fighter jet.

Take note that revising Presidential Decree No. 415 is still needed, especially that permanently fixing it will give assurance for the national government to undertake defense deals under an affirmative provision that will allow the Department of National Defense to secure soft loan arrangements and other structured schemes. This will enable them to secure more expensive big-ticket projects, as what the multirole fighter jet package aims to secure.

Ultimately, getting the comprehensive multirole fighter jet program in motion, with assurances from the budgetary perspective, will ensure that the Philippine Air Force receives the boost it deserves to get, especially in this period where the current status quo in the Indo-Pacific region gets actively challenged by a regional power whose aim is on illegally securing the country’s EEZ domain. 

Getting the needed tools and in preparation, the country is in a better position to ensure the territorial defense posture it aims to have.

(c) 2026 PDA

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Strategic Importance of a Northern Luzon Naval Base In The First Island Chain

The Bashi Channel serves as a strategic point, not only for the trade of goods that passed through this body of water, but also as an important passage for Chinese naval vessels into the Pacific Ocean, playing its crucial role in its purported plans of conquering the small island nation of Taiwan.

This important strategic point also comes with a great responsibility for the Philippine Navy, as it fits well into their domain given that the Bashi Channel sits well between Taiwan and the Philippines, particularly in its proximity to the province of Batanes. 

The presence of key military sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement under the Philippines and the United States near the area highlights that responsibility that goes beyond the country's national security efforts, and well within the scope of the strong bilateral alliance of both countries since the ratification of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

This article, as contributed by DreTheGrater here on Pitz Defense Analysis, highlights such concerns, as its national security importance is as equal, if not greater than the threats posed by Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

We like and appreciate DreTheGrater in his research work, considering that this is the first for the Pitz Defense Analysis website to have a guest writer.

Most of the Philippine Navy's bases in Luzon lie in the western part, such as NOB Subic, which comes with an expanded proposal at one point. 
Image from Naval Group, via Naval News.

INTRODUCTION: STRATEGIC CONTEXT AND REGIONAL OBSERVATIONS

China’s recent announcement and execution of large-scale military exercises, designated “Justice Mission-2025,” conducted on 30 December 2025 in the immediate vicinity of Taiwan, once again highlights the rapidly evolving security environment in the Western Pacific. More importantly, it disclosed how preparedness, geography, and infrastructure directly shape a state’s ability to respond to emerging contingencies.

Taiwan’s reaction was both swift and coordinated: the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) was able to deploy surface combatants and supporting assets with minimal delay, encountering no significant logistical or operational friction.

This level of responsiveness is not incidental. It reflects decades of sustained investment in forward-deployed bases, hardened facilities, and an integrated naval, air infrastructure designed to support continuous operations under pressure. Taiwan’s experience reinforces a broader strategic lesson: deterrence is not defined solely by platforms and weapons systems, but by the ability to move, sustain, and command forces at speed.

In this context, a clear contrast emerges with the Philippine posture in Northern Luzon. While the Philippine Navy (PN) maintains a presence through the Northern Luzon Naval Command (NLNC), the region continues to suffer from limited infrastructure depth and restricted operational flexibility. As regional military activity intensifies and strategic competition expands north of the Philippine archipelago, the development of Northern Luzon becomes increasingly critical. Strengthening this area is not merely a matter of regional development, but a necessary step in building a layered defense network capable of constraining external freedom of movement and reinforcing deterrence along the Philippines’ northern maritime approaches.

CHALLENGES WITH NAVAL BASE CAMILO OSIAS AS A NAVAL FACILITY

Naval Base Camilo Osias is officially designated as one of the four major naval bases of the Philippine Navy and is also included as a joint-use facility under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States. However, despite its formal classification, the base currently falls short of functioning as a fully capable naval operations hub comparable to Subic Bay or the future facilities planned in Cebu and Misamis Oriental.

At present, Naval Base Camilo Osias operates with limited infrastructure. The base features a modest airstrip and aircraft facility measuring approximately 870 meters in length, a handful of detachment offices, personnel barracks, and a small pier or wharf that is likewise shared with civilian fishing activities. In practical terms, the installation functions more as a naval station than a true operational base capable of sustaining major surface or air operations.

The existing pier infrastructure can only accommodate vessels below 100 meters in length. This restriction confines operational use to smaller ships primarily suited for littoral and near-shore missions within the waters of Cagayan and the Batanes group of islands. Such limitations significantly constrain the Philippine Navy’s ability to surge forces, conduct prolonged patrols, or support larger combatants in a contingency scenario in the Luzon Strait or surrounding areas.

Prospective plan for Naval Base Camilo Osias, an EDCA site in Santa Ana, Cagayan Province.

STALLED DEVELOPMENT AND UNREALIZED POTENTIAL

The strategic importance of Naval Base Camilo Osias was highlighted in 2023 when it was designated as one of the additional EDCA sites. At the time, discussions between the Philippine and United States governments included proposals to upgrade the existing airstrip and construct a larger naval pier capable of supporting heavier vessels. These improvements were envisioned as force multipliers that would allow both nations to enhance operational reach, improve interoperability, and strengthen forward presence in Northern Luzon.

Via Philippine Navy.

Despite these plans, visible progress on infrastructure development remains limited. The absence of tangible upgrades underscores a broader issue: strategic intent without timely execution risks leaving critical gaps unaddressed, particularly in an environment where regional military posturing continues to accelerate.

EXISTING SOLUTIONS AND PATHWAYS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Given its EDCA status, Naval Base Camilo Osias presents a viable platform for joint Philippine Navy-United States Navy development. The question, therefore, is not whether development is possible, but rather how it should be prioritized to generate the greatest operational value.

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Dobling, left, commander of Underwater Construction Team 2, gives a coin to a Philippine navy sailor at Naval Base Camilo Osias, Santa Ana, Cagayan, Philippines, May 11, 2018. (Kryzentia Richards/U.S. Navy)
Image Source.

First, the construction of a larger and more capable wharf or pier is essential. Such a facility should be designed to accommodate offshore and major surface combatants, including the Del Pilar-class and the forthcoming Miguel Malvar-class frigates. Complementing this should be the establishment of dry dock or maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities. These would allow hull inspections, minor repairs, and sustainment activities to be conducted locally, reducing the need for vessels to return to Subic or Misamis Oriental and significantly improving operational endurance.

Finger piers play a crucial role in naval base development.
Screen grab from Naval News.

Second, the development of the existing airstrip must be addressed. Extending the runway would enable operations by larger fixed-wing aircraft such as the C-130H and C-130J-30 Super Hercules, greatly enhancing airlift, logistics, and rapid response capabilities. This effort could be undertaken as a joint initiative between the Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Navy, enabling a more integrated maritime-air operational framework. Such an upgrade would also support the sustained deployment of platforms like the Hermes-900 UAV and the ATR-72 Long-Range Patrol Aircraft, expanding surveillance, reconnaissance, and maritime domain awareness across the northern approaches.

C-130 Hercules of the Philippine Air Force.
Image Source.

Third, additional facilities to support Marine and naval personnel movement are required. Expanded barracks, command offices, and staging areas would allow the base to host rotational and forward-deployed units, effectively transforming it into a secondary operational hub rather than a purely administrative outpost.

HISTORICAL PRECEDENT AND OPERATIONAL LESSONS

The 2013 Balintang Channel incident between the Philippines and Taiwan offers a clear illustration of the advantages conferred by forward naval infrastructure. During the incident, the ROCN rapidly deployed twelve naval vessels, including destroyer-type ships, to monitor and escort Philippine naval elements operating in the area. This demonstrated how proximity, readiness, and infrastructure can decisively shape operational outcomes, even in limited or non-kinetic confrontations.

Taiwanese drills that took place in the Bashi Channel at the climax of the 2013 incident.
Screen grab from Formosa News.

For the Philippines, this episode highlights the importance of having a credible and sustained naval presence in the northern region. A capable base in Northern Luzon would not only improve response time but also enhance the ability to monitor, deter, and limit the movement of external actors within Philippine waters and adjacent maritime corridors.

LONG-TERM STRATEGIC BENEFITS

The development of Naval Base Camilo Osias addresses multiple structural challenges facing the Philippine Navy. Beyond extending operational range and endurance, such an investment would help mitigate congestion at Subic Bay, particularly as major naval operations are expected to cease there by 2028 as they now slowly transition to the smaller Nabasan Wharf.

More broadly, decentralizing naval assets reduces the risk associated with over-concentration in a single location, enhances survivability in a conflict scenario, and provides greater flexibility in force deployment. A strengthened Northern Luzon naval facility would fill existing gaps in the Philippine maritime defense posture, reinforce coverage of vulnerable sectors, and contribute to a more resilient and layered maritime domain defense architecture.

In strategic terms, the development of Northern Luzon is not merely an infrastructure project, it is a necessary step toward aligning Philippine naval capabilities with the realities of an increasingly contested regional security environment.

CONCLUSION: STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS AND THE WAY FORWARD

The case of Naval Base Camilo Osias illustrates a broader structural challenge facing the Philippine Navy: the gap between strategic intent and operational capability. While the base occupies a geographically vital position and carries formal designation as a major naval facility and EDCA site, its current limitations prevent it from fulfilling a decisive operational role in Northern Luzon. Without meaningful upgrades, the base remains constrained to low-end, near-shore missions, leaving a critical gap in the country’s northern defense posture.

Developing Naval Base Camilo Osias is therefore not a discretionary enhancement but a strategic necessity. Investments in pier infrastructure, maintenance facilities, airfield expansion, and personnel support would transform the base into a credible forward operating node. Such development would enhance deterrence, improve response time, and enable sustained presence in one of the most strategically sensitive corridors of the Philippine maritime domain.

In the long term, this approach supports the decentralization of naval assets, reduces overreliance on Subic Bay amid its impending operational drawdown, and increases survivability through dispersal. More importantly, it aligns Philippine naval planning with the realities of a contested regional environment where speed, proximity, and sustainment increasingly determine strategic outcomes.

Ultimately, the development of Northern Luzon, and Naval Base Camilo Osias in particular, should be viewed as a cornerstone of Philippine maritime defense. It represents an opportunity to translate geography into advantage, partnerships into capability, and strategy into credible operational presence.

Follow DreTheGrater on X (Formerly Twitter) here.

(c) 2026 PDA and DreTheGrater.

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Leonardo's Eurofighter Offer And Their Support to the AFP Modernization

The following information comes from an official release made by a European Aerospace Company, with the offer being one of the fighter jet that come as part of the consortium and now entering as one of their official candidate for the Philippine Air Force's multirole fighter jet acquisition program.

German Luftwaffe's Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet.
Image Source.

Leonardo reaffirms support for the Philippines’ defence modernization and future-ready capabilities

PRESS NOTE

The global aerospace and defence leader highlights its commitment to advancing national security, operational readiness, and local capability development.

Philippines, 09/12/2025 - Amid the Philippines’ renewed push for rapid technological adaptation, specialized expertise and stronger interoperability to support a credible defence posture, Leonardo has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the country’s capability development and long-term modernization goals. The global aerospace and defence leader headquartered in Italy expressed its readiness to help the Philippine government invest in technologies, skills, and systems that enable a more resilient and future-ready Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“Leonardo, as part of Eurofighter Consortium, stands ready to support the Philippines as it moves toward a more capable, self-reliant, and unmatched deterrence posture,” Tommaso Pani, SVP Marketing and Sales, Aeronautics division of Leonardo, said in a statement. “Our approach is anchored on long-term partnership built not only on trusted performance, but also on meaningful investments in local capability, skills development, and national growth.”

Trusted Partner for a Future-Ready AFP

For decades, Leonardo has supported the Philippines’ defence and security requirements across air, land, sea, and cyber domains. Its long-standing collaboration with the Department of National Defence reflects the company’s commitment to enhancing national security and contributing to the country’s evolving operational needs.

This established partnership underpins Leonardo’s proposal for the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter acquisition program, designed to strengthen air superiority, improve multi-domain awareness, and enhance future force readiness.

Leonardo’s global reputation is built on technological innovation, mission reliability, and multi-domain expertise. The Eurofighter Typhoon program, developed with leading European defence partners Airbus Germany, Airbus Spain and Bae Systems, exemplifies this standard through its combat-proven performance, interoperability, and resilience.

Backed by the Eurofighter Partner Nations Italy, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, the Eurofighter proposal draws on Leonardo’s comprehensive expertise, including support and training, and is structured around a collaborative framework that ensures transparency, strong governance, and alignment with the Philippines’ modernisation priorities.

Building National Capability and Economic Value

Beyond delivering advanced systems, Leonardo’s proposal emphasizes long-term national contribution. The plan includes technology transfer, training for Filipino engineers and pilots, participation of local industry, and the potential establishment of a Eurofighter logistic and training hub in the country.

These initiatives aim to create sustainable jobs, strengthen local expertise, and empower the Philippines to play a larger role in the regional aerospace ecosystem. Through this approach, Leonardo and its industrial partners reinforces their roles as trusted defence partners, providing solutions that enhance operational readiness while generating broader economic and industrial value.

= = = = = = = = = = 

Pitz Defense Analysis Note:

The release serves as Leonardo's official entry to the Philippine Air Force's multirole fighter jet acquisition program, competing directly against aerospace companies that already took part in the bidding process, namely Lockheed Martin, SAAB, and Korea Aerospace Industries. Their offers are the F-16 Block 70/72 Viper, the JAS-39 Gripen E/F variant, and the KF-21 Boramae.

This comes as the Philippine Air Force reportedly expressed its interest in getting the KF-21 Boramae of Korea Aerospace Industries as its mainstay multirole fighter jet, as they already provided the reliable FA-50 lead-in fighter trainers for the 5th Fighter Wing to operate and secure the country's airspace, with an additional twelve (12) units of this type have recently ordered for this purpose.

As the Department of National Defense now change into a multirole fighter jet package model in securing this project, along with the proposal that they are seeking a budget of Php 400 Billion for the purchase of the multirole fighter jet project under this scheme, it is still uncertain yet promising for companies like Leonardo to push this offer, although their offer stands a chance, especially with the offer presented by the company that will benefit the Philippine Air Force and the broader scope of the ongoing modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Given that the multirole fighter jet package model also comes with other equipment like the Airborne Warning and Control Systems or AWACS and refueling tankers, there lies an uncertainty with the model of aircraft presented in this scheme, although it is clear from Leonardo that they are offering the fighter aircraft that come as a mainstay platform among the countries in Europe, majority if not all the users in the continent being a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO.

At the end, it will be at the discretion of the leadership within both the Philippine Air Force and the Department of National Defense to take a second look into this offer and to make consideration on the terms presented, of which it defines whether there is a likelihood that the 5th Fighter Wing will end up getting fighter jets like the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 5 or not.

(c) 2025 PDA.

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The Transfer of Abukuma-class Destroyer Escorts to the Philippine Navy

Increasing the fleet size is among the top priorities of the Philippine Navy, aside from its recent purchases of modernized naval assets that have recently produced in a South Korean shipyard. 

As commendable as it is in buying new assets that are now forming a significant portion of the naval service branch's Offshore Combat Force, another class of ships from another country next door is likely getting on its way to the fleet, as part of the agreement between the two governments.

FROM THE NEWS REPORTS

JS Sendai (DE-232) forms part of the six (6) Abukuma-class destroyer escorts of the JMSDF.
Image Source.

Before this news broke out, the attention of the Filipino defense community gets fixated into other developments relating to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, specifically with the commissioning of the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06) into the fleet as a full-fledged guided missile frigate during the Philippine Navy anniversary that took place on May 20, 2025. As the celebratory event comes with the addition of the ship, along with two (2) Acero-class vessels, a more exciting event will come in the months to come.

Several months later, on July 6, 2025, Japanese news outlet Yomiuri revealed the first details of what will be a game-changing moment for the capabilities of the Philippine Navy. 

This refers to the revelation that both the Philippine and Japanese governments have reached a finalization in their agreement to the exportation of what will probably be all the six (6) Abukuma-class destroyer escorts currently in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force at the time this article publishes.

In the said news report from this Japanese news outlet, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force or JMSDF poses to decommission all of its six (6) Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, and is likely to get replaced by the newer Mogami-class frigates that Japan ordered on its local shipbuilding entities like the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. In the agreement, the export aims to improve interoperability between the Philippines and Japan relating to maritime security matters.

This will count as the recent defense transfer made by Japan to the Philippines to-date, with the other being the transfer of TC-90 trainer aircraft to the Philippine Navy in 2017, and Japan’s first successful defense sale to the Philippines through its export of J/FPS-3ME and J/TPS-P14ME surveillance radars that now operates to ensure security of the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone or PADIZ. The transfer of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to the Philippine Navy will probably be the largest one to-date.

As the Abukuma class likely getting transferred to the Philippine Navy counting as the largest boost both to its firepower and numerical capabilities once succeeded, the following details discussed under this topic will primarily delve to its production and service history, along with the usual information relating to its specifications with its subcomponents within the JMSDF service, and the likely upgrades that the ships receive upon entry to the Philippine fleet composition from 2027 onwards.

THE HISTORY

The Abukuma-class destroyer escorts came as a replacement for the older Yubari-class destroyer escort.
Image from Wikimedia Commons.

As the Philippine Navy sets into finalizing the agreement that will transfer all ‌six (6) Abukuma-class destroyer escorts from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force or JMSDF, let us trace back its history, from when the vessels have designed down to its shipbuilding and eventually its service within the JMSDF. At a glance, the vessels came with anti-submarine warfare in their design, and the capabilities they will have will help the Philippine Navy’s own mandate.

From the beginning, the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts came as part of the JMSDF’s evolution of improving its fleet with capable vessels that came according to its specifications and requirements of that time. 

The vessels, introduced in the late 1980s to early 1990s, came as an improvement over the fleet’s other destroyer escort class, which is the Yubari-class destroyer escort. The 1980s-era Yubari-class design does not satisfy the JMSDF, giving birth to the new Abukuma-class destroyer escort development.

The lead ship, the JS Abukuma (DE-229), had launched in 1988 as part of Japan’s efforts to improve its destroyer escort fleet that covers the shortcomings of the earlier Yubari-class destroyer escort, especially with its small hull size. 

This ‌then moved on for another year until the work on the JS Abukuma (DE-229) completed in 1989 and subsequently introduced to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s fleet. The sixth and final ship, JS Tone (DE-234), completed in 1993.

The construction of all Abukuma-class destroyer escorts comes with a delegation of shipbuilding assignments across key Japanese shipbuilders in the country. Two (2) of all six (6) Abukuma-class destroyer escorts have the hulls produced in either of the three (3) Japanese shipbuilding entities, namely the Mitsui shipyard in Tamano, Japan, the Maizuru (Hitachi) shipyard in Maizuru, Japan, and the Sumitomo shipyard in Uraga, Japan. This gives all entities the experience in the design’s shipbuilding process.

With the completion of all six (6) Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, each of the vessels served a significant role crucial in securing and monitoring the Japanese territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone waters, an activity that still does until today, and definitely until the first of the said destroyer escorts will get decommissioned from active duty within the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force from 2027. The ships will then get replaced by the newer Mogami-class guided missile frigates (FFM).

This means that by 2027, the JS Abukuma, from its launch to decommissioning, has accrued a service life with a total age of 38 years, while the rest of the ships belonging to the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts will also have such an age of around 30-40 years, wherein by that period it will already transferred to the Philippine Navy and will add to the composition of the service branch’s Offshore Combat Force. Reports gathered have confirmed that the Philippine Navy will probably get all six (6) ships.

As there is the likelihood that the naval service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines will get the ships from Japan that counts as a significant force multiplier gain to the fleet, the next sub-topic will delve more into the ship’s specifications, both in its current configuration and what will be its future configuration given that in Japan will probably remove and replace onboard weaponry and sensors under its joint development and production scheme.

THE SHIP'S SPECIFICATIONS

The Abukuma-class destroyer escorts have the hull size and capability of the Jose Rizal-class frigates while having a tonnage of the Rajah Sulayman-class OPVs.
Image Source.

Knowing the ship’s specifications will help provide an idea regarding the capabilities that it possesses, especially understanding its baseline that will give a preference of what the Philippine Navy expects into getting this class of vessel into the fleet. 

Just a disclaimer though, some of the information provided here will include its current load-out during its service within the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, as the armaments onboard might likely get removed and replaced with the ones fitting the Philippine Navy’s requirement.

The first one to cover is ‌its hull dimensions, whereby the size of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts comes with 109 meters long, 13.4 meters beam, and a draft of 3.8 meters. Its weight displacement is ‌2,000 tons at standard configuration, and 2,550 tons at its full load configuration. For comparison, the Jose Rizal-class frigate of the Philippine Navy has a hull size of 107 meters long, 14 meters beam, and a weight displacement of 2,600 tons.

While both the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts and the Jose Rizal-class frigates share almost similar hull size and tonnage, the latter has the advantage of incorporating a more modern shipbuilding design, as it comes with a helipad, helicopter hangar, and a space for incorporating a Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells for its added security against aerial threats, aside from the commonality of armaments between both ships like the 76mm main gun, anti-ship missiles, torpedo mounts, and close-in weapons system (CIWS).

Speaking of armaments, the current weapons load-out of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts in its service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force or JMSDF comes with an Oto Melara 76mm main gun, Type 74 launcher for the RUR-5 ASROC anti-submarine rockets, Mk141 canisters for the RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles in a 4x2 configuration totaling 8 antiship missiles onboard, Type 68 triple-racked torpedo tubes for torpedoes in a 3x2 configuration, and a single Mk15 Phalanx CIWS mount.

Take note that with current restrictions on the Japanese side in the export of weapons under its pacifist constitution, there is a greater likelihood that the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts that the Philippine Navy sets to receive will have a different weapons configuration, as compared to the one when it was still serving the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force or JMSDF. This means the likelihood of getting the RUR-5 ASROC launcher, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and the Phalanx CIWS removed from the ship.

Finally, the propulsion system of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts come with a Combined Diesel or Gas or CODOG configuration, whereby the vessel’s power output originated from two (2) Kawasaki-Rolls-Royce SM1A gas turbines (26650 SHP output) for its performance mode, and two (2) Mitsubishi S12U-MTK diesel engines (at 6000 hp output) for its regular cruising mode, with a total maximum speed of the vessels of around twenty-seven (27) knots.

With the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts that the Philippine Navy receives will probably go differently from their current configuration under the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force given the restrictions, the following discussion subset will encompass other important information relating the joint production and research scheme that this transfer will undertake, along with its future classification within the fleet and the budget for its rearmament of the ships with ones fitted by the Philippine Navy itself.

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEAL

The Philippine Navy recently conducted a joint visual inspection in Japan last August 2025.
Image Source.

In August 2025, the Philippine Navy representatives and their Japanese counterparts took part in a joint visual inspection or JVR activity in Japan, specifically at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force base of Sasebo in Nagasaki. 

From here, they inspected the condition of the Abukuma-class destroyer escort JS Jintsu (DE-230) and it served as the basis for inspecting the other ships of the class, differently assigned across Japan’s multiple naval bases.

From here, the information provided from sources confirms that there is a high likelihood that the Philippine Navy will get all the six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, of which this will provide the much-needed boost to the numerical composition of the naval service branch’s Offshore Combat Force. 

This effectively complements the other ships in the fleet, lessening the operational stress of prolonged deployment at sea, while providing the needed presence in the country’s territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone waters.

Despite the boost, it is highly certain that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will remove the onboard armaments and leave the fitting of newer ones at the discretion of the Philippine Navy through the Joint Development and Production scheme in a way to skirt current restrictions provided under the current Japanese legal system. This put the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts’ armaments in two (2) likely scenarios as presented in the succeeding sentences of this sub-topic.

The first and most likely outcome is for the Philippine Navy to provide it with the minimum required armaments onboard the ship, with upgrades coming in the succeeding years since its commissioning to the fleet. This means ‌that the ships will get their armaments other than the 76mm Oto Melara main gun removed, while likely remaining as a patrol gunship before the ship gets the needed upgrades, most likely patterned after the armaments already available onboard other Philippine Navy ships.

This means that there is a greater chance that the Philippine Navy will arm the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, likely getting classified as ‘anti-submarine frigates’ upon joining the fleet the armaments it needs as a direct replacement to the ones removed onboard, such as the SSM-700K Haeseong C-Star anti-ship missiles, K745 Blue Shark Torpedoes, and even the Gokdeniz Close-In Weapons System found onboard the Miguel Malvar-class frigates.

The said weapon upgrades, while theoretical in the basis of streamlining logistical chains, will still change at the discretion of the Philippine Navy leadership’s approach into how it envisions the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, then frigates, will join the fleet. 

Despite this fitting nomenclature of the vessels, this should not stop the fleet from buying more capable vessels that it aims to have, particularly the repeat orders of both the Miguel Malvar (or HDF-3500 under the Full Complement Project), and Jose Rizal-classes.

Still, the deal itself comes as the largest one that the Philippine Navy encounters to date, and is also the largest one that Japan has ever come up with in exporting naval assets, albeit through a transfer, to a foreign country that comes as an immediate neighbor that shares the same national security concerns. 

This growing partnership, coupled with the recently ratified Reciprocal Access Agreement of both countries, is a testament of ‌‌increased defense cooperation between the said countries in the years to come.

LOOKING FORWARD

JS Abukuma (DE-229) is likely the first one to get decommissioned in 2027.
(c) Binmei, YouTube.

For more than thirty (30) years, the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts play a significant role of ensuring the security of Japan’s territorial and exclusive economic zone waters, ensuring that the deterrence exist in keeping intruders from entering its domain, such as what China did with Japan’s southernmost island of Senkaku. Sharing the same concerns in the region, the Philippines receiving these destroyer escorts from Japan is also helping the latter in ensuring the status quo in the region.

The shape in geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region made Japan and the Philippines, both countries that bear maritime domains that compose of island groups, share the same interest and concerns with the lingering threat that pose against both of the countries’ sovereignty and national interest, as both experienced the same aggression posed by the regional power’s deployment of its coast guard vessels and maritime militia in a way to increase aggression in an already-dangerous situation.

Japan’s transfer of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to the Philippine Navy simply comes as one of the recent testament of closer bilateral defense ties between both countries, coupled with overwhelming support for providing the country with the needed tools to support its maritime domain awareness. 

One given example coming out of these growing ties is the successful Official Development Aid from JICA for the construction and sale of both the Parola-class and Teresa Magbanua-class MRRVs for the PCG.

Complementing both the pairs of Jose Rizal-class frigate and the Miguel Malvar-class frigate of the Philippine Navy, the number of ships with this classification within the fleet will come at a sum of ten (10) ships, of which it will have followed in by an additional pair of frigates bought under the Frigate Acquisition Project - Full Complement under the Re-Horizon 3 of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. Preferences of the latter project is with either the HDF-3200 or the HDF-3500 designs of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The numbers that might get introduced in the Philippine Navy come as a boost that will probably give the fleet the needed increase of its composition at a short time possible where, alongside the speedy construction of newly built vessels from South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ own shipyard in Ulsan, gives added support not only on providing an assured presence in the Philippine territorial and EEZ waters, but also in ensuring Maritime Domain Awareness in areas like the West Philippine Sea.

Also, introducing the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to the Philippine Navy will probably ease the operational times that other vessels in the fleet will undertake in the high seas, assuring that there is always a vessel available to undertake maritime defense duties and responsibilities, while minimizing the operational stress that the ships needed, along with having the time allowed for an ensured maintenance and repair periods that will give additional readiness that allow for future patrols.

Looking forward, the Philippine Navy will probably see the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts as an integral part of the fleet itself. And while the naval service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is gearing itself for a new type of policy direction through the ‘Sail Plan 2040’, the services that these Japanese-made ships will provide to the Philippine Navy will give worth to the territorial defense efforts that the national government aims to achieve against a more powerful adversary.

(c) 2025 PDA.

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