The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday, April 2 it has approved the ‘possible’ sale of F-16 aircraft to the Philippines.
Full story: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/united-states-oks-sale-f-16-fighter-jets-april-2025/
Full story: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/united-states-oks-sale-f-16-fighter-jets-april-2025/
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00:00The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday, April 2, it has approved the possible sale
00:05of F-16 aircraft to the Philippines.
00:08This days after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Manila visit, where he announced
00:12the continuation of a $500 million foreign military financing pledge.
00:17The U.S. Defense Department's Defense Security Cooperation Agency says the 20 aircrafts have
00:21an estimated cost of $5.58 billion.
00:25The possible purchase includes 16 F-16C Block Aircrafts, 4 F-16D Block Aircrafts, 20 Installed
00:31Engines and 4 Spares, Radars, Missile Launchers and Missiles, and Anti-Craft Guns, among others.
00:37But the Philippines' Defense Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong says the department has,
00:41quote, not received any official notice of such decision.
00:45Philippine Ambassador to the United States Bebrum Waldez says the Philippines can fund
00:48the $5.58 billion budget through a possible combination of the military's annual budget
00:54for modernization and a loan between Manila and Washington.
00:57The Philippines aims to purchase at least 40 fighter jets as part of Horizon 3, or Phase
01:023 of the military's long-delayed modernization program.