Procurement of F-16 fighter jets for PH defensive posture – Bersamin

—File photo from Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ possible procurement of F-16 fighter jets from the United States is not intended for use against any specific country but rather to strengthen its overall defense posture, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said on Thursday.

READ: US approves sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets worth $5.5 billion to PH

“As far as the details are concerned, I have no awareness of that. But the principle of it, the Americans would give us the material for a defensive force, a defensive stance. That’s okay because the details would be worked out still,” Bersamin said in an ambush interview in Malacañang, was asked for further details about the subject.

“But that is not for any specific target or state. It is for our defensive posture,” Bersamin added.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Tuesday that the US State Department has already approved the possible sale of 20 F-16 jets to the Philippines.

The DSCA said the US$5.5 billion, or around P315 billion F-16 sale will help the Philippine Air Force boost its “ability to conduct maritime domain awareness” and “enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses.”

The sale was sent to the US Congress for approval.

This development was welcomed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“Anything that will modernize and propel us to greater heights with our assets, we gratefully welcome that for the Armed Forces,” said AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla in a radio dwPM interview on Wednesday.