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The Philippine government may expect to received 20 brand new F-16 fighter-jets and related equipment as early as the next year up to 2027 once the procurement plans was finalized with the United States, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said.

Romualdez said the Philippines plans to seek a long-term loan from Washington in order to acquire. This came after the US approved a sale of $5.58 billion in fighter-jets to the Philippines.

We can have our own F-16s depending on the terms, if they’re affordable for us, and if they would be approved by the Congress and the President. But that is an offer as part of our AFP modernization program.

The F-16 fighter jets are potentially the most ambitious and most expensive acquisition by the Philippines under its military modernization program, which has been delayed by a lack of funds.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), meanwhile, said that the Philippines is set to procure more missile systems, fighter jets, and warships amid its plan to build a more “reliable deterrent force.”

Romualdez admitted that China’s continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea is also one of the reasons why the Philippines wants to modernize its armed forces and procure fighter jets.

The AFP, meanwhile, said that the modernization efforts will allow the Philippines to confront emerging threats and safeguard the nation’s maritime and aerial domains through strategic capability-building.