US State Department approves sale of 20 F-16 Block 70/72s to the Philippines
Peter Felstead
The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Philippines of F-16C/D Block 70/72 fighters, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 1 April 2025.
The proposed sale, which is worth an estimated USD 5.58 billion (EUR 5.1 billion), has been passed to the US Congress for final approval.
Specifically, the Philippines has requested 16 F-16C Block 70/72 aircraft; four F-16D Block 70/72 aircraft; 24 F110-GE-129D or F100-PW-229 engines (20 installed and four spares); 22 AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned-array Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABRs – 20 installed and two spares); 12 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods; and a range of other avionics and mission systems.
The F-16 Block 70/72 featuring the SABR radar is equivalent to Fighting Falcons upgraded to the F-16V standard.
Weapons contained in the package would include 112 AIM-120C-8 or equivalent Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs); 36 Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-39/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment 1 (SDB-1); 40 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles; 60 MK-82 500 lb (227 kg) general-purpose bombs; 60 MK-84 2,000 lb (907 kg) general-purpose bombs; and 30 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) KMU-572 tail kits for GBU-38 or Laser JDAM GBU-54s.
“The proposed sale will enhance the Philippine Air Force’s ability to conduct maritime domain awareness and close air support missions and enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) and aerial interdiction capabilities. This sale will also increase the ability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect vital interests and territory, as well as expand interoperability with the US forces,” the DSCA stated.
The Philippine Air Force currently operates a combat fleet consisting of 12 KAI FA-50PH fighter variants of the T-50 advanced jet trainer that were delivered from 2015, a small number of North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco light attack aircraft delivered from 1992, and six Embraer EMB 314/A-29B Super Tucano turboprop light attack aircraft delivered from 2020.
The principal contractor for the Philippines FMS would be F-16 manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
