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| 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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