Frigate Full Complement Project - Additional Miguel Malvar-class FFG

After the outstanding success of the two Miguel Malvar-class frigates delivered under the Corvette Acquisition Project, the Philippine Navy now embarks on another acquisition program, which now calls for the purchase of two (2) additional frigates under the project entitled 'Frigate Acquisition Project - Full Complement'.

As the project becomes clear that its direction aims on basically a repeat order of a naval asset already in service within the Philippine Navy fleet, this discussion aims primarily to this acquisition program where different designs got presented as usual, until the contract signing and confirmation that gives an affirmative on what is ideally be the increase of number of ships belonging to the same class of vessels in service.

OVERVIEW - THE CONTRACT HAS JUST SIGNED

The BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG06), mooring at port during the commissioning ceremony.
Image (c) Philippine Navy

In the final days of the year 2025, specifically on the day of December 26, the Department of National Defense signed a contract with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for the purchase of two (2) additional frigates under the Frigate Acquisition Project - Full Complement Program, which come as an ongoing defense partnership between the DND and the said South Korean shipbuilder, now totalling at least twelve (12) ships ordered under this arrangement.

The frigate mentioned in this deal involves the production and delivery of two (2) frigates based on the HDF-3200 design, from which the Miguel Malvar-class frigates currently serving in the Philippine Navy, derives from. 

With the mention of the design at hand, it gives a clear signal that the service branch now likely aims to streamline its fleet of ships, as this inventory-based item of a purchase will come likely as a repeat order of the Miguel Malvar-class frigate, with it having its own set of subcomponent upgrades.

The update regarding the Frigate Acquisition Project - Full Complement’s procurement phase reflects on the Procurement Monitoring Report released by the Department of National Defense for the second half of 2025, showing that the department’s bids and awards committee took only five (5) months from pre-bid conference into the contract signing and issuing the notice to proceed document, easing the materialization of documents for the production to start.

Adding to this is that choosing a proven design and the one already serving within the Philippine Navy will surely lessen the time required to undertake the needed Critical Design Review, in which will give shorter time between the notice to proceed issuance to the delivery of ships to the Philippine Navy fleet. 

The move will also increase the number of Miguel Malvar-class frigates to at least four (4) vessels, with more likely to come , depending on the discretion of the leadership.

In this writeup, it will only delve on the primary key details relating to the Frigate Acquisition Project - Full Complement, on the other designs considered before settling into getting the additional Miguel Malvar-class frigate, the subsystems that will probably find its way on the new ships that are currently absent on the warships currently serving in the fleet, and other relevant details that will give a full scope encompassing this key topic under the Philippine Navy’s capability upgrade efforts.

THE FRIGATE ACQUISITION PROJECT - FULL COMPLEMENT PROGRAM

The eyes initially looked at this HDF-3500 frigate design, until the Procurement Monitoring Report confirmed that it is an item-based approach, suggesting a repeat order of the Miguel Malvar-class.
File image from ADAS 2024.

This program presented itself as the second iteration of the Frigate Acquisition Project as part of the Philippine Navy’s ongoing modernization efforts, amounting to Php 34 billion in contract price for Lot 1, encompassing the delivery of at least a pair of guided missile frigates complete with armaments onboard (hence, the full complement description), while a separate lot is for the delivery of the ship’s onboard munitions, ranging from missiles to the ammunition of the 76mm main gun and the Close-In Weapons System.

Before the awarding of the contract to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the design preferences for this acquisition project of the Philippine Navy narrowed down to only two (2) designs, both of which were presented by the South Korean shipbuilder during the 2024 Asian Defense And Security (ADAS) Exhibition. 

The designs mentioned refer to both the HDF-3200 frigate design that became the Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigate, and the larger, 129-meter HDF-3500 frigate design.

As expected, the initial prospects went to the larger HDF-3500 design, of which it sports a larger hull, a bridge design similar to the Rajah Sulayman-class Offshore Patrol Vessels, a superstructure portion that linked the bridge to the exhaust funnel, and a similar design and subsystems principle found onboard the Miguel Malvar-class frigate with the 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid Gun, 16-cell Vertical Launch System, a GOKDENIZ CIWS, 8-cannister C-Star anti-ship missiles, and two (2) triple-tubed torpedo launchers.

Since it is more of an item-based procurement, the awarding of the project to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will probably be a repeat order of the Miguel Malvar-class frigate, which means the design will stick to the all-familiar HDF-3200 frigate design. 

This means that there is a lesser need for a critical design review, and a delivery date before the year 2028 will be achievable, provided that the queue for the remaining Rajah Sulayman-class OPVs gets cleared for the frigate construction to start.

With the prospects for a four (4) unit Miguel Malvar-class frigate for the Philippine Navy, the next case for this discussion will probably dwell on the current fleet configuration of the Philippine fleet’s Offshore Combat Force or OCF, as it already has four (4) frigates already serving the fleet as of this time the article gets published, composing of two (2) Jose Rizal-class frigates, and the two (2) Miguel Malvar-class frigates that have joined the fleet recently.

THE FLEET COMPOSITION AND THE NAVY SAIL PLAN

Here is one of multiple iterations of the Philippine Navy's Sail Plan, of which this one calls for the fleet to get at least six (6) frigates.
Image from the Philippine Fleet.

In the original Philippine Navy desired force mix that was presented in the early 2010s when the Revised AFP Modernization Program was a newly enacted law, the fleet calls for at least six (6) frigates for its operational requirements, of which it originally aims for anti-air warfare capabilities. The same sail plan calls for at least twelve (12) corvettes that specialize more on anti-submarine warfare, creating a distinction of roles between the two types of vessels in the fleet.

From this point of view, this will mean that the frigate acquisition project - full complement will be the final one, as the Jose Rizal-class frigate and the first pair of Miguel Malvar-class frigate already in service, with the pair of Miguel Malvar-class repeat orders under the said acquisition project completing the minimum six (6) frigate requirements. 

That, of course, might still depend on the leadership’s discretion, as reclassifying the Jose Rizal-class to corvettes might mean another room for 2 more frigates to purchase.

In this hypothetical scenario, if the Jose Rizal-class frigates got reclassified as corvettes, then it gives the impetus for the purchase of two (2) additional frigates, likely another repeat order of the Miguel Malvar-class frigate, to satisfy the six (6) frigates that the desired force mix calls for. But this hypothetical scenario only applies if the desired force mix is still the one that the Philippine Navy follows,‌ which changes are already taking place since its first iteration in the early 2010s.

Ultimately, hypothetically securing at least six (6) Miguel Malvar-class frigates or another repeat order after the current procurement of two (2) frigates from this class will adhere to the rule of three (3) arrangement for ship deployment cycles, whereby one ship undertakes maintenance schedules and routine subcomponent upgrades, the second ship conducting actual naval operations underway, and the third ship on standby, ready for deployment at a moment’s notice, all ensuring the combat readiness of the naval force.

As the Miguel Malvar-class frigate might likely end up increased to four (4) ships operating by the Philippine Navy following the repeat order, a procurement for another batch of two (2) warships of this class won’t be that bad for the leadership planning to consider, as it gives optimization for the operation of the frigates for deployment, balancing its time on undertaking maintenance downtimes and on its actual at-sea operation requirements.

THE ‘FULL COMPLEMENT’ DESCRIPTION

Thales offered the CAPTAS-1 Variable Depth Sonar to the Philippine Navy.
(c) Thales, via Naval News.

One thing noticeable in this second batch iteration of the frigate acquisition project is its added description for ‘full complement’, which is an impression that this project will come with complete subsystems onboard, something that is absent on both the first frigate acquisition project that came the Jose Rizal-class guided missile frigate (FF), and the corvette acquisition project that eventually get reclassified into what is now the Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigates (FFG).

The first thing that comes into mind in discussing the ‘full complement’ part of purchasing two (2) additional guided missile frigates for the Philippine Navy to use is on the towed array sonar inclusion into the ship’s construction, of which it initially comes absent from the purchase of Miguel Malvar-class frigate of the Philippine Navy and counts as a separate purchase under the ‘fitted for, but not with’ or FFBNW scheme. This project now has this subcomponent as part of the package.

There are multiple towed array sonar solutions that the second batch of Miguel Malvar-class frigates might take, of which there are still no final details on the specific sonar solutions for consideration. One potential candidate for a sonar solution will be the Thales CAPTAS family of sonars, specifically the CAPTAS-2 sonar variant. The cheaper CAPTAS-1 sonar variant that Thales offered to the Philippine Navy during the Asian Defense and Security Exhibition (ADAS) 2024 will also count as a preferable candidate.

While there are no certain specific solutions for the frigate acquisition project - full complement’s towed array sonar system, its inclusion already gives a boost to the capabilities of these repeat order of the Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigates, so much that they may get the first two (2) ships of the class already in service in the Philippine Navy undertake its first repair/maintenance schedule to receive a similar system for commonality on capabilities.

Ultimately, the capabilities that will probably be found on the full complement version of the Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigate will probably find their way to the first two ships of the class, effectively making the batch 2 procurement of the additional guided missile frigate a primary basis on improving the capabilities of existing ones in the fleet. This effectively gives both commonality and expanded fleet size, which might serve as a reference for future repeat orders, especially if they are to be pursued. 

IN SUMMARY

BRP Miguel Malvar moored at port.
File Image.

The Frigate Acquisition Project - Full Complement Program of the Philippine Navy incorporates previously absent subsystems that counted as ‘Fitted For, But Not With’ into the new ships, which then will count as a fully packaged guided missile frigates with new subsystems that might get its way onboard will eventually trickle to the other active vessels on the fleet, expanding the capabilities on the broader ecosystem provided by the service branch’s Offshore Combat Force.

On the area of warship design, the decision of sticking to the HDF-3200 frigate variant that the Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigates are based on makes it ideal for the Philippine Navy’s delivery prospects, particularly in the sense that significant time for a critical design review gets reduced as they choose a design already approved previously for end-user requirements. This will hasten the time needed for the construction of the ships and eventually their introduction into the fleet.

Aside from faster construction and delivery date, the decision of having the Frigate Acquisition Project - Full Complement based on the HDF-3200/Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigate design also helps the Philippine Navy streamline its commonality and logistical chain in training, operating, maintaining, and sourcing spare parts for the upkeep of the vessels, as keeping similar design features helps identify the areas for troubleshooting and improvements better.

With the current numbers now increased to at least four (4) frigates of the type, it will not be surprising if the Philippine Navy pursues more of this proven ship design for its expanded fleet of surface combatants that form the Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigate, as it gives the effectivity of it being the backbone of the fleet’s offshore combat force capabilities, especially as part of a naval force that augments the security of the country’s national territory as the current focus of the Philippine Armed Forces.

Ultimately, this might help the fleet improve and secure a formidable naval force that secures the country’s territorial and exclusive economic zone waters, befitting for an archipelagic country surrounded by multiple bodies of water that it serves as a vital lifeblood of the entire nation, from providing food security to its citizenry through the vast marine resources it contains through shipping lanes that drives economic growth and development. 

All of which gives importance to the role of a formidable navy in securing the country’s survival.

(c) 2026 PDA.

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Department of National Defense' Multirole Fighter Jet Package Proposal, Explained

The budget hearings in the bicameral chambers of Congress presented several interesting insights relating to the plans, programs, and prospects that the Department of National Defense has in improving the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in both firepower and logistical areas, addressing the challenges on both territorial defense and immediate deployment in the times of calamity.

Information that has provided in the said budget hearings are a mouthful that it does not simply get accomplished in a single writeup, but several highlights deserves to provide a full context on the vision that the Department of National Defense lies on its long-term capability improvement, especially on the ones set for the Philippine military. One of those visions delves into the most discussed acquisition project of the Philippine Armed Forces to date, which is the Philippine Air Force's plans of securing the purchase for its multirole fighter jets.

THE BUDGET HEARING

The Department of National Defense aims to get a full package for the Philippine Air Force's Multirole Fighter Jet Acquisition.
Sources of Images from Efrain Noel Morota (upper left), SAAB (upper right), Wikimedia Commons (lower left), German Air Force (lower right)

The multiple budget hearings that the Department of National Defense has before both chambers of Congress - in the House of Representatives and the Senate  - presented an insight into how the department will set its direction in the upcoming years. 

One of the interesting tidbits from this is their proposal to repeal Republic Act 10349, or the Revised AFP Modernization Law, and instead have its acquisition project funding done through a project-based scheme. The proposal to repeal deserves its own set of discussion.

At that specific budget hearing done together with the Senate Committee on Defense, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr highlighted the concerns relating to its current budgetary position, casting doubts that the fiscal room provided is small for the department to push for other projects under the Revised AFP Modernization Program, highlighting primarily to the purchase of the Multi-Role Fighter Jets of the Philippine Air Force, together with its associated packages.

When asked about how much money the Department of National Defense needs in buying the fighter jets for the Philippine Air Force, Secretary Teodoro highlighted that the project requires a budget of around Php 400 billion, even more if included other components that form part of the ‘multirole fighter jet package proposal’ of the department. 

The said components refer to what the defense department wants to include in the project - the Midair Refueling Tankers and Airborne Warning and Control System or AWACS.

After the budget requirements got presented, the next question delved into the number of squadrons that the Department of National Defense seeks in providing for the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter requirement, in which the defense secretary in return said that the budget is for the purchase of at least three (3) squadrons of the multi-role fighter jets of the Philippine Air Force. For context, a single squadron comes with twelve (12) fighter jets, with a full three (3) fighter jet squadron being at thirty-six (36) units.

The rationale of this bold and expensive undertaking of the Department of National Defense’s presentation for the multirole fighter jet package delves primarily to the long-term vision it entails, or what the Secretary of National Defense believes as a real force boost for the Philippine Air Force, rather than relying on a single squadron of the same multirole fighter jets, labeling them as a ‘token purchase’ that does not present real impact to the country’s territorial defense deterrence efforts.

Revisiting it again, the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter jet acquisition project is an active, ongoing acquisition project that is getting competition with the following aerospace companies that aims to secure the bid of getting the contract - US-based aerospace company Lockheed Martin and the F-16 Viper Block 70/72 variant, Sweden’s SAAB and the JAS-39 Gripen Block E/F variant, and the newest entrant being the Leonardo Eurofighter 2000 Typhoon Tranche 5. 

This discussion will not cover much about the multirole fighter jet candidates for this deal, and instead will cover more on the following key features, which is on the number of squadrons that the Department of National Defense aims to get in this arrangement, the inclusion made for both the Airborne Warning and Control System and Midair Refueling Tankers, the financing schemes and perks that aerospace companies offer, and the advantages and disadvantages this proposal entail to the deal in its entirety.

NUMBER OF SQUADRONS

The number of multirole fighter jets alone plays a role in an effective air defense deterrence.
From AIIRSOURCE Channel, YouTube.

The first contention in the budget hearing discussion between the Senate committee for defense and the Department of National Defense regarding the acquisition of Multi-role Fighter Jets for the Philippine Air Force is with the number of fighter squadrons that the said department aims to get in a single transaction. What followed is a clear and concise statement from the Secretary of National Defense, fully specifying that they aim to get at least three (3) fighter squadrons at one go.

The number specified is the clearest one ever provided from the Department of National Defense, and is also the most recent one that define the multirole fighter jet package proposal that they aim to get, with the support of the Congress, together with the Department of Finance and the Department of Budget and Management in coming up either with a creative financing scheme, or an increased budgetary allotment to make this highest valued military purchase to date possible.

For context, a squadron of fighter jets within the Philippine Air Force stands at around twelve (12) units, as this is at best exhibited with how the Fifth Fighter Wing organizes the batch sales of the Korean-made FA-50s that it made through the years. 

First in 2015 and then in 2025, the air service branch of the Philippine Armed Forces always has its eyes fixated into securing at least twelve (12) units of fighter jet per batch, as it comes clearly given with the orders made for the FA-50 Lead-In Fighter Trainers.

Carrying it over to the multi-role fighter jet package proposal, and the picture comes clear that the Department of National Defense aims to get at least thirty-six (36) multirole fighters or three (3) squadrons of twelve (12) each per squadron of multirole fighters, or forty (40) multirole fighters if we based from their previous statements regarding the project. The numbers provided provide an ideal setup, where there are at least thirty-six (36) single-seater multirole fighter jets and four (4) dual-seater conversion trainer jets.

Of course, having such a large number for an order of multirole fighter jets that counts as the most unprecedented one in the country’s defense history also comes with a heavy price tag, one that cast doubt whether the deal might push through as the history of budgetary allotments released for the Department of National Defense or the Revised AFP Modernization Program can only fund military projects at an extent, that the numbers presented only come as ‘piecemeal’ at best.

To be fair with the people in the Department of National Defense, getting this project funded in one go, either through an overhauled legislation on foreign borrowings or by a boosted annual defense budget, gives a significant boost worth counting as a great leap for the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, rather than relying on ‘token’ accomplishments that is to get a squadron of multirole fighter jets and call it a day, with the Philippine Air Force getting the minimum number.

As the thirty-six (36) multirole fighter jets isn’t enough for a package proposal pushed by the Department of National Defense, the next part of the discussion will also include other crucial parts of what count as a comprehensive air defense solution, where networked nodes with up-to-date shared critical information gives added capabilities for the proposed fighter jets, one that clearly means giving additional eye in the sky that can detect threats coming from afar.

AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM (AWACS)

SAAB has the Erieye AWACS as part of its offer for the JAS-39 Gripen E/F variant of the Philippine Air Force.
Image Source.

The package for multirole fighter jets, as what the Department of National Defense is proposing, does not limit to just the number of fighter jets alone but also includes other military assets that give more eyes in the sky, an integrated networked system that coordinates updated movements of the air force belonging to the foreign adversary in the patch of an airspace that count as the current area of operations at the time that a mission gets carried out.

That ‘added eyes in the sky’ component refers to having the Airborne Warning and Control System or ‘AWACS’ included in the package, one that comes with advanced radar and other related sensors onboard that can detect upcoming threats, whether it might be an enemy fighter aircraft or an upcoming missile that might pose a threat against critical facilities that the Philippines have scattered across the country, passing through and entering inside the Philippine airspace.

Being the one that has a full vision of the airspace domain, the Airborne Warning and Control System is also the one responsible to coordinate multirole fighter jet pilots as a command-and-control component into conducting operations that involves targeting both ground and aerial targets at a long distance given its deployment. 

This extra capability adds up to the force package presented by the Department of National Defense as a necessary part of the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter jet purchase.

As the idea of including AWACS to the force package of the Philippine Air Force comes into mind, so does the number of candidates that might likely end up in the Philippine Air Force’s inventory, depending on which of the candidates for the project will come up as the winner to the project. As for SAAB, there is a likelihood that they will offer the SAAB Erieye multi-domain AWACS that will come alongside the JAS-39 Gripen E/F offer, itself likely to use the SAAB 340 aircraft as its primary platform of choice.

SAAB’s own AWACS solution that itself produces comes as an advantage compared to its competitors in the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter jet acquisition program, as other aerospace companies like Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) does not have its own produced AWACS platform at the time this article publishes. For Lockheed Martin, while it produces the ‘AN/APY-9 radar’ for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, the AWACS product itself is actually from Northrop Grumman.

For Korea Aerospace Industries, it currently does not have its own AWACS product at the time this article has published, although a combination of AWACS from other suppliers might come together with its KF-21 Boramae deal with the Philippine Air Force shall things be pushed through. One thing that comes to mind is once again SAAB’s GlobalEye AWACS offer, as there is a memorandum of understanding between SAAB and KAI regarding this arrangement.

With the AWACS platform included in the Multirole Fighter Jet package that the Department of National Defense wanted for the Philippine Air Force to have as part of an integrated systems-based air defense suite, the variation of solutions depends on the preferable candidate for the project, with SAAB clearly in the advantage of providing this type of platform as an integrated package, as they are the only one among aerospace companies taking part that can produce its own AWACS aircraft.

MULTI-ROLE TANKER TRANSPORT (MRTT)

Depending on the package, AWACs like the Airbus A330 MRTT have the chance to be on the Philippine Air Force's inventory of support aircraft.
This is a U.S. Air Force photo by Christian Turner, Wikimedia Commons

The next component that the Department of National Defense presents as part of the multirole fighter jet acquisition program package of support system is the one that ensures that each fighter aircraft gets extended operational support all throughout the mission operations, and even beyond the capability of each unit’s onboard fuel tanks which means extended operational time and range as required in a solidified air operations. Entering the scene is an aerial refueling aircraft.

Also known as a multirole tanker transport aircraft or just simply a tanker aircraft, this unit plays a key role in extended air operations of a multirole fighter jet, as its purpose is to replenish operating aircraft with jet fuel through a rigid boom system or a flexible probe-and-drogue system, depending on the aircraft that come with either of the said two (2) mid-air refueling configuration. Notable examples of such aircraft are the Airbus A330 MRTT (Multirole Tanker Transport) and Boeing KC-46 Pegasus.

This is where Lockheed Martin and Eurofighter (via Airbus) have an advantage in offering an aerial refueling aircraft as part of the multirole fighter jet package, whereby the former already has the tanker variant of the C-130 aircraft known as the KC-130J, in use by the likes of the United States Marine Corps for their aircraft operations. 

The only concern with this offer is that the KC-130J comes with a flexible probe-and-drogue system, while the F-16 Viper it offers has a mid-air refueling design with a rigid boom system in mind.

The incompatibility between the KC-130J aerial refueling tanker aircraft and F-16 Viper fighter jets in terms of the mid-air refueling systems incorporated onboard can get mitigated with the F-16s coming with receptacles that enable the aircraft to have mid-air refueling capabilities compatible with the KC-130J aircraft, enabling Lockheed Martin to offer both the KC-130J and the F-16 Viper as part of its own multirole fighter jet package that the Department of National Defense seeks on.

Another competing entity is the Eurofighter consortium, where Airbus is a member itself, although the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 5 multirole fighter offer for the Philippine Air Force goes through another aerospace company, which is through the Italian-based firm named Leonardo. 

With the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 5 coming as a product of the consortium that Leonardo and Airbus are both members of, inserting the Airbus A330 MRTT in the offer makes sense for its own MRF package offer.

Airbus and its A330 MRTT come with a rigid boom system that is more compatible with the F-16 Block 70/72 Viper offer of Lockheed Martin, as compared to the KC-130J tanker aircraft that comes with the flexible hose and drogue system. 

It is also compatible with the KF-21 Boramae that Korea Aerospace Industries or KAI offered to the Philippine Air Force, as the Republic of Korea Air Force also operates the passenger jet-inspired Airbus aircraft for its own operational requirements.

With both the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and aerial refuel tankers included in the multirole fighter jet package, along with the Department of National Defense’s aim into getting at least three (3) squadrons of fighter jets in one go, the next part of the discussion will involve one of the largest hurdles that they will face amidst the plans into modernizing the capabilities of the Philippine Air Force in one go, one that involves the availability of budget and similar financial schemes. 

CREATIVE FINANCING SCHEME

The Honorable Secretary of National Defense's statement on the creative financing scheme as proposed before the country's private sector.
From the Department of National Defense Facebook Page.

To resolve the problem that surrounds the financial hurdles that will help support the Philippine Air Force and the Department of National Defense’ comprehensive multirole fighter jet package, they are pushing on an amendment in legislation that would enable them to secure soft loan and similarly crafted financial arrangement from foreign governments and institutions, basically enabling them to secure the purchase of the entire deal as presented by different aerospace candidates in the project.

One idea that comes from this hurdle is the proposed enactment of the Department of National Defense transformation bill, which aims to have a provision that points on the defense spending of the entire department, including those for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to have an allotment increase until it reaches at least 2% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP as a measuring stick for its annual budget, with an additional provision that there will be adjustments in every ten (10) years.

With the proposed enactment of the Department of National Defense transformation bill is the call to repeal the Revised AFP Modernization Law or the Republic Act 10349, on which the Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro said that the law has ‘outlived’ its purpose in supporting the capability improvement projects of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The said law, while providing sufficient support in improving the capabilities of the AFP, said that its efforts come ‘insufficient’ as technology paces on.

Aside from the Department of National Defense Transformation bill, another piece of legislation that is also being looked at is on the revisions in the Presidential Decree No. 415, known as the ‘Authorizing the Secretary of National Defense to Enter Into Defense Contracts to Implement Projects Under the Self-Reliance Defense Programs and For Other Purposes’. This legislation has a provision that limits the amount allowable for the Philippine government to avail the soft loans and similar arrangements for defense.

Under the said presidential decree, the limiting factor lies in Section 3, clearly detailing that the Secretary of National Defense can only undertake soft loans, supplier’s credit, and other arrangements relating to the purchase of expensive military hardware under this financial scheme type at the limit of around Three Hundred Million United States Dollars or US$ 300,000,000.00 or Php 17.4 Billion if based on the January 1, 2026 exchange rate of US$1.00 - Php 58.00.

This means that the Philippine military cannot go beyond the said amount into taking a soft loan or similar financial arrangement without undertaking amendments of the said Presidential Decree, which also means that the efforts undertaking for the Revised AFP Modernization Program is always at the mercy of the yearly enactment of the General Appropriations Act and its allotments to the Revised AFP Modernization Program. Such a scheme is insufficient given its annual record of limited budget allotments.

Its approval is crucial in the ongoing modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as the said Presidential Decree comes as a limiting factor for the Department of National Defense in getting multi-billion soft loan arrangements that can secure needed military hardware like the multi-role fighter jets and submarines. Lacking the support for this proposal will hamper the efforts to improve the Philippine military’s capability to provide the needed deterrence for its territorial-level defense posture.

ENDING NOTE

Italian arms supplier Leonardo actively markets the Eurofighter Typhoon 2000 to the Philippine Air Force.
Image Source.

At the time this article publishes, the 2026 General Appropriations Act introduces a special provision for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, enabling the Secretary of National Defense to undertake soft loan arrangement and similar schemes when buying expensive military hardware, which means this topic relating to multirole fighter jet packages that the Philippine Air Force and the Department of National Defense aspires to get is now slowly getting its way into reality.

It also means that the government might give a way to secure loans well beyond the limits provided under the Presidential Decree 415, while being compliant to the said decree by having the loans approved by both the Office of the President and the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP. 

That will give all the needed support that the Department of National Defense needs in securing not only the aforementioned MRF package but also other equally expensive ones such as the Philippine Navy submarines.

This also correlates to the Philippine Air Force’s expanded interest on the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet produced by Korea Aerospace Industries, as it has the potential to have an expanded capability for a full-fledged multirole fighter jet, as its technological path includes integration of such capability under the Block II phase of the program. 

Currently, the KF-21 Boramae’s capability is limited to the air superiority role entailed from its original Block I phase of the entire development of Korea’s own indigenous stealth fighter.

The delivery dates that the Philippine Air Force seeks if the KF-21 Boramae deal pushes through, give a clear suggestion that there is a high likelihood that the said service branch might secure this deal, giving a way for them to secure a more capable fighter aircraft than the FA-50 light fighter trainer it currently operates and is now adding more squadron on the fleet, as this is the ideal path or ladder for end-users that uses military aircraft produced by the likes of Korea Aerospace Industries.

Another potential deal that comes with soft loans is the one with Leonardo regarding the Eurofighter Typhoon 2000 Tranche 5, as the Italian financing firm SACE met with officials of the Department of National Defense as a way of advancing its marketing of the capable fighter aircraft made by the consortium that Leonardo belongs, aside from its marketing of providing after-sales and logistical support for the aircraft once the Philippine Air Force decides in getting this multirole fighter jet.

Take note that revising Presidential Decree No. 415 is still needed, especially that permanently fixing it will give assurance for the national government to undertake defense deals under an affirmative provision that will allow the Department of National Defense to secure soft loan arrangements and other structured schemes. This will enable them to secure more expensive big-ticket projects, as what the multirole fighter jet package aims to secure.

Ultimately, getting the comprehensive multirole fighter jet program in motion, with assurances from the budgetary perspective, will ensure that the Philippine Air Force receives the boost it deserves to get, especially in this period where the current status quo in the Indo-Pacific region gets actively challenged by a regional power whose aim is on illegally securing the country’s EEZ domain. 

Getting the needed tools and in preparation, the country is in a better position to ensure the territorial defense posture it aims to have.

(c) 2026 PDA

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Strategic Importance of a Northern Luzon Naval Base In The First Island Chain

The Bashi Channel serves as a strategic point, not only for the trade of goods that passed through this body of water, but also as an important passage for Chinese naval vessels into the Pacific Ocean, playing its crucial role in its purported plans of conquering the small island nation of Taiwan.

This important strategic point also comes with a great responsibility for the Philippine Navy, as it fits well into their domain given that the Bashi Channel sits well between Taiwan and the Philippines, particularly in its proximity to the province of Batanes. 

The presence of key military sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement under the Philippines and the United States near the area highlights that responsibility that goes beyond the country's national security efforts, and well within the scope of the strong bilateral alliance of both countries since the ratification of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

This article, as contributed by DreTheGrater here on Pitz Defense Analysis, highlights such concerns, as its national security importance is as equal, if not greater than the threats posed by Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

We like and appreciate DreTheGrater in his research work, considering that this is the first for the Pitz Defense Analysis website to have a guest writer.

Most of the Philippine Navy's bases in Luzon lie in the western part, such as NOB Subic, which comes with an expanded proposal at one point. 
Image from Naval Group, via Naval News.

INTRODUCTION: STRATEGIC CONTEXT AND REGIONAL OBSERVATIONS

China’s recent announcement and execution of large-scale military exercises, designated “Justice Mission-2025,” conducted on 30 December 2025 in the immediate vicinity of Taiwan, once again highlights the rapidly evolving security environment in the Western Pacific. More importantly, it disclosed how preparedness, geography, and infrastructure directly shape a state’s ability to respond to emerging contingencies.

Taiwan’s reaction was both swift and coordinated: the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) was able to deploy surface combatants and supporting assets with minimal delay, encountering no significant logistical or operational friction.

This level of responsiveness is not incidental. It reflects decades of sustained investment in forward-deployed bases, hardened facilities, and an integrated naval, air infrastructure designed to support continuous operations under pressure. Taiwan’s experience reinforces a broader strategic lesson: deterrence is not defined solely by platforms and weapons systems, but by the ability to move, sustain, and command forces at speed.

In this context, a clear contrast emerges with the Philippine posture in Northern Luzon. While the Philippine Navy (PN) maintains a presence through the Northern Luzon Naval Command (NLNC), the region continues to suffer from limited infrastructure depth and restricted operational flexibility. As regional military activity intensifies and strategic competition expands north of the Philippine archipelago, the development of Northern Luzon becomes increasingly critical. Strengthening this area is not merely a matter of regional development, but a necessary step in building a layered defense network capable of constraining external freedom of movement and reinforcing deterrence along the Philippines’ northern maritime approaches.

CHALLENGES WITH NAVAL BASE CAMILO OSIAS AS A NAVAL FACILITY

Naval Base Camilo Osias is officially designated as one of the four major naval bases of the Philippine Navy and is also included as a joint-use facility under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States. However, despite its formal classification, the base currently falls short of functioning as a fully capable naval operations hub comparable to Subic Bay or the future facilities planned in Cebu and Misamis Oriental.

At present, Naval Base Camilo Osias operates with limited infrastructure. The base features a modest airstrip and aircraft facility measuring approximately 870 meters in length, a handful of detachment offices, personnel barracks, and a small pier or wharf that is likewise shared with civilian fishing activities. In practical terms, the installation functions more as a naval station than a true operational base capable of sustaining major surface or air operations.

The existing pier infrastructure can only accommodate vessels below 100 meters in length. This restriction confines operational use to smaller ships primarily suited for littoral and near-shore missions within the waters of Cagayan and the Batanes group of islands. Such limitations significantly constrain the Philippine Navy’s ability to surge forces, conduct prolonged patrols, or support larger combatants in a contingency scenario in the Luzon Strait or surrounding areas.

Prospective plan for Naval Base Camilo Osias, an EDCA site in Santa Ana, Cagayan Province.

STALLED DEVELOPMENT AND UNREALIZED POTENTIAL

The strategic importance of Naval Base Camilo Osias was highlighted in 2023 when it was designated as one of the additional EDCA sites. At the time, discussions between the Philippine and United States governments included proposals to upgrade the existing airstrip and construct a larger naval pier capable of supporting heavier vessels. These improvements were envisioned as force multipliers that would allow both nations to enhance operational reach, improve interoperability, and strengthen forward presence in Northern Luzon.

Via Philippine Navy.

Despite these plans, visible progress on infrastructure development remains limited. The absence of tangible upgrades underscores a broader issue: strategic intent without timely execution risks leaving critical gaps unaddressed, particularly in an environment where regional military posturing continues to accelerate.

EXISTING SOLUTIONS AND PATHWAYS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Given its EDCA status, Naval Base Camilo Osias presents a viable platform for joint Philippine Navy-United States Navy development. The question, therefore, is not whether development is possible, but rather how it should be prioritized to generate the greatest operational value.

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Dobling, left, commander of Underwater Construction Team 2, gives a coin to a Philippine navy sailor at Naval Base Camilo Osias, Santa Ana, Cagayan, Philippines, May 11, 2018. (Kryzentia Richards/U.S. Navy)
Image Source.

First, the construction of a larger and more capable wharf or pier is essential. Such a facility should be designed to accommodate offshore and major surface combatants, including the Del Pilar-class and the forthcoming Miguel Malvar-class frigates. Complementing this should be the establishment of dry dock or maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities. These would allow hull inspections, minor repairs, and sustainment activities to be conducted locally, reducing the need for vessels to return to Subic or Misamis Oriental and significantly improving operational endurance.

Finger piers play a crucial role in naval base development.
Screen grab from Naval News.

Second, the development of the existing airstrip must be addressed. Extending the runway would enable operations by larger fixed-wing aircraft such as the C-130H and C-130J-30 Super Hercules, greatly enhancing airlift, logistics, and rapid response capabilities. This effort could be undertaken as a joint initiative between the Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Navy, enabling a more integrated maritime-air operational framework. Such an upgrade would also support the sustained deployment of platforms like the Hermes-900 UAV and the ATR-72 Long-Range Patrol Aircraft, expanding surveillance, reconnaissance, and maritime domain awareness across the northern approaches.

C-130 Hercules of the Philippine Air Force.
Image Source.

Third, additional facilities to support Marine and naval personnel movement are required. Expanded barracks, command offices, and staging areas would allow the base to host rotational and forward-deployed units, effectively transforming it into a secondary operational hub rather than a purely administrative outpost.

HISTORICAL PRECEDENT AND OPERATIONAL LESSONS

The 2013 Balintang Channel incident between the Philippines and Taiwan offers a clear illustration of the advantages conferred by forward naval infrastructure. During the incident, the ROCN rapidly deployed twelve naval vessels, including destroyer-type ships, to monitor and escort Philippine naval elements operating in the area. This demonstrated how proximity, readiness, and infrastructure can decisively shape operational outcomes, even in limited or non-kinetic confrontations.

Taiwanese drills that took place in the Bashi Channel at the climax of the 2013 incident.
Screen grab from Formosa News.

For the Philippines, this episode highlights the importance of having a credible and sustained naval presence in the northern region. A capable base in Northern Luzon would not only improve response time but also enhance the ability to monitor, deter, and limit the movement of external actors within Philippine waters and adjacent maritime corridors.

LONG-TERM STRATEGIC BENEFITS

The development of Naval Base Camilo Osias addresses multiple structural challenges facing the Philippine Navy. Beyond extending operational range and endurance, such an investment would help mitigate congestion at Subic Bay, particularly as major naval operations are expected to cease there by 2028 as they now slowly transition to the smaller Nabasan Wharf.

More broadly, decentralizing naval assets reduces the risk associated with over-concentration in a single location, enhances survivability in a conflict scenario, and provides greater flexibility in force deployment. A strengthened Northern Luzon naval facility would fill existing gaps in the Philippine maritime defense posture, reinforce coverage of vulnerable sectors, and contribute to a more resilient and layered maritime domain defense architecture.

In strategic terms, the development of Northern Luzon is not merely an infrastructure project, it is a necessary step toward aligning Philippine naval capabilities with the realities of an increasingly contested regional security environment.

CONCLUSION: STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS AND THE WAY FORWARD

The case of Naval Base Camilo Osias illustrates a broader structural challenge facing the Philippine Navy: the gap between strategic intent and operational capability. While the base occupies a geographically vital position and carries formal designation as a major naval facility and EDCA site, its current limitations prevent it from fulfilling a decisive operational role in Northern Luzon. Without meaningful upgrades, the base remains constrained to low-end, near-shore missions, leaving a critical gap in the country’s northern defense posture.

Developing Naval Base Camilo Osias is therefore not a discretionary enhancement but a strategic necessity. Investments in pier infrastructure, maintenance facilities, airfield expansion, and personnel support would transform the base into a credible forward operating node. Such development would enhance deterrence, improve response time, and enable sustained presence in one of the most strategically sensitive corridors of the Philippine maritime domain.

In the long term, this approach supports the decentralization of naval assets, reduces overreliance on Subic Bay amid its impending operational drawdown, and increases survivability through dispersal. More importantly, it aligns Philippine naval planning with the realities of a contested regional environment where speed, proximity, and sustainment increasingly determine strategic outcomes.

Ultimately, the development of Northern Luzon, and Naval Base Camilo Osias in particular, should be viewed as a cornerstone of Philippine maritime defense. It represents an opportunity to translate geography into advantage, partnerships into capability, and strategy into credible operational presence.

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(c) 2026 PDA and DreTheGrater.

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Leonardo's Eurofighter Offer And Their Support to the AFP Modernization

The following information comes from an official release made by a European Aerospace Company, with the offer being one of the fighter jet that come as part of the consortium and now entering as one of their official candidate for the Philippine Air Force's multirole fighter jet acquisition program.

German Luftwaffe's Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet.
Image Source.

Leonardo reaffirms support for the Philippines’ defence modernization and future-ready capabilities

PRESS NOTE

The global aerospace and defence leader highlights its commitment to advancing national security, operational readiness, and local capability development.

Philippines, 09/12/2025 - Amid the Philippines’ renewed push for rapid technological adaptation, specialized expertise and stronger interoperability to support a credible defence posture, Leonardo has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the country’s capability development and long-term modernization goals. The global aerospace and defence leader headquartered in Italy expressed its readiness to help the Philippine government invest in technologies, skills, and systems that enable a more resilient and future-ready Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“Leonardo, as part of Eurofighter Consortium, stands ready to support the Philippines as it moves toward a more capable, self-reliant, and unmatched deterrence posture,” Tommaso Pani, SVP Marketing and Sales, Aeronautics division of Leonardo, said in a statement. “Our approach is anchored on long-term partnership built not only on trusted performance, but also on meaningful investments in local capability, skills development, and national growth.”

Trusted Partner for a Future-Ready AFP

For decades, Leonardo has supported the Philippines’ defence and security requirements across air, land, sea, and cyber domains. Its long-standing collaboration with the Department of National Defence reflects the company’s commitment to enhancing national security and contributing to the country’s evolving operational needs.

This established partnership underpins Leonardo’s proposal for the Philippine Air Force’s multirole fighter acquisition program, designed to strengthen air superiority, improve multi-domain awareness, and enhance future force readiness.

Leonardo’s global reputation is built on technological innovation, mission reliability, and multi-domain expertise. The Eurofighter Typhoon program, developed with leading European defence partners Airbus Germany, Airbus Spain and Bae Systems, exemplifies this standard through its combat-proven performance, interoperability, and resilience.

Backed by the Eurofighter Partner Nations Italy, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, the Eurofighter proposal draws on Leonardo’s comprehensive expertise, including support and training, and is structured around a collaborative framework that ensures transparency, strong governance, and alignment with the Philippines’ modernisation priorities.

Building National Capability and Economic Value

Beyond delivering advanced systems, Leonardo’s proposal emphasizes long-term national contribution. The plan includes technology transfer, training for Filipino engineers and pilots, participation of local industry, and the potential establishment of a Eurofighter logistic and training hub in the country.

These initiatives aim to create sustainable jobs, strengthen local expertise, and empower the Philippines to play a larger role in the regional aerospace ecosystem. Through this approach, Leonardo and its industrial partners reinforces their roles as trusted defence partners, providing solutions that enhance operational readiness while generating broader economic and industrial value.

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Pitz Defense Analysis Note:

The release serves as Leonardo's official entry to the Philippine Air Force's multirole fighter jet acquisition program, competing directly against aerospace companies that already took part in the bidding process, namely Lockheed Martin, SAAB, and Korea Aerospace Industries. Their offers are the F-16 Block 70/72 Viper, the JAS-39 Gripen E/F variant, and the KF-21 Boramae.

This comes as the Philippine Air Force reportedly expressed its interest in getting the KF-21 Boramae of Korea Aerospace Industries as its mainstay multirole fighter jet, as they already provided the reliable FA-50 lead-in fighter trainers for the 5th Fighter Wing to operate and secure the country's airspace, with an additional twelve (12) units of this type have recently ordered for this purpose.

As the Department of National Defense now change into a multirole fighter jet package model in securing this project, along with the proposal that they are seeking a budget of Php 400 Billion for the purchase of the multirole fighter jet project under this scheme, it is still uncertain yet promising for companies like Leonardo to push this offer, although their offer stands a chance, especially with the offer presented by the company that will benefit the Philippine Air Force and the broader scope of the ongoing modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Given that the multirole fighter jet package model also comes with other equipment like the Airborne Warning and Control Systems or AWACS and refueling tankers, there lies an uncertainty with the model of aircraft presented in this scheme, although it is clear from Leonardo that they are offering the fighter aircraft that come as a mainstay platform among the countries in Europe, majority if not all the users in the continent being a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO.

At the end, it will be at the discretion of the leadership within both the Philippine Air Force and the Department of National Defense to take a second look into this offer and to make consideration on the terms presented, of which it defines whether there is a likelihood that the 5th Fighter Wing will end up getting fighter jets like the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 5 or not.

(c) 2025 PDA.

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