The Philippines air force is to spend 15 billion pesos ($577 million) on new equipment over the next five years, as part of the country's recently approved defence modernisation plan.
The supplementary budget covers the first five years of a planned 15-year programme to restructure and re-equip the Philippine armed forces, at a cost of $12.2 billion. The air force is seeking a further $1.34 billion in 2001-05 and $1.5 billion in 2005-10.
Congressional approval of the 1996-2000 plan follows China's recent occupation of a Spratly Islands reef, in the South China Sea, and encroachment on the maritime economic exclusion zone (EEZ) claimed by the Philippines.
As a result, priority has been given to improving the air force's air defence and maritime surveillance capabilities. The Philippine Air Defence Identification Zone (PADIZ) is to be enlarged to cover the entire archipelago and surrounding EEZ.
Topping the list of new equipment is the acquisition of 18 multi-role fighters, for which the air force has set aside $200 million. An additional $37 million has been budgeted for weapons. The purchase of a follow-on batch of 18 aircraft is to be funded in the second and third five-year plans.
The air force has been offered a wide selection of secondhand aircraft, including Dassault Mirage F.1, Denel Cheetah, Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir C-7, Lockheed F-16A/Bs, Mikoyan MiG-29 and more recently, the improved Kfir 2000 (Flight International, 15-21 March).
PADIZ coverage will be enhanced, with the procurement of six new air defence radar, with a maximum range between 370 and 460km. The air forces' ground-based defences will be strengthened by four point- defence surface-to-air missile systems. It hopes to eventually buy 20 systems over 15 years
Six light-attack aircraft are also required from 1998 onwards, primarily for maritime strike and later as a lead-in fighter replacement for the Philippines' elderly Northrop F-5A/Bs. A total of 24 aircraft are needed by 2007.
Maritime surveillance, particularly of the Philippines' offshore Spratly possessions, will be the responsibility of six planned long-range maritime patrol aircraft. An electronic and signal intelligence gathering aircraft will be added in 1998 and a command and control platform by 2000.
Three medium size search and rescue helicopters are required by 1998, up to nine more by 2007. Four heavy lift helicopters are included in the next five-year plan. Other acquisitions planned for the period 2001-05 include six medium lift transport aircraft and four larger heavy lift-transports.
Source: Flight International
