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The Philippines wants to upgrade its military with mid-range missiles and advanced fighter jets, two senior security officials said during the congressional budget hearing, spending at least $33 billion as it modernizes its defense in the face of growing regional tensions, with China as the biggest adversary.
The military wants to acquire more cutting-edge weaponry, armed forces chief Romeo Brawner told reporters, hours after Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro announced the Philippines was reviewing offers to buy more weapons.
We are wanting to get more of the latest weapons systems. That includes the mid-range capability, Brawner told a joint media conference with U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Samuel Paparo in the northern city of Baguio.
The U.S. Mid-Range Capability Missile Launcher System in Northern Philippines, which can fire various missiles, including the SM-6 supersonic missile, with a range of about 450 kilometers, and the Tomahawk cruise missile, with a maximum range of 2,500 kilometers.
The Tomahawk missiles can reach the Chinese mainland from the Philippines, although they may also be used to target ships. The SM-6 is a shorter-range multi-purpose missile that can target both naval and air forces. Both have the potential to hamper China's air defense systems in the opening salvos of a potential conflict in the South China Sea, enabling the U.S. Navy to move in large warships thereafter.
Both the Philippines and ally the United States are preparing for what could be the largest joint military exercises next year, Paparo said, as security engagements between the two nations have increased to counter what they perceive as China's growing assertiveness.
It plans to spend at least 1.9 trillion pesos around $33.74 billion to modernize and boost its military's external defence capabilities, which could include buying the 40 jets, Teodoro earlier said during a congressional hearing on his department's budget.
He declined to the name the countries that had submitted tenders or the fighter jet model it plans to acquire, adding: The bidding is a secret process right now, but the Philippine Government are continuing to review tenders that are acceptable.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines are also investing in other deterrent capabilities that are deterrents, not necessarily multi-role fighters. To fund the jets which could cost between 300 to 400 billion pesos ($5.3 to $7.1 billion), the government is looking at reasonable financing schemes, including tapping syndicated loans from private lenders.
Military chief Brawner had previously said the Philippines needed faster and more lethal multi-role jet fighters on top of its South Korean FA-50s. Philippines Department of national Defense aims to award tenders as soon as possible as long as our financial requirements are met.
In April, the United States deployed its intermediate range missile system in the northern Philippines during military drills, angering China which said its presence "brought huge risks of war into the region".
The missile, which remains in the Philippines, was not fired during the exercises, but was shipped to test the feasibility of transporting the 40-ton weapon system by air. The Philippines has been embroiled in frequent run-ins at sea and on air with China in the South China Sea.
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