The United States has approved the potential sale of F-16 fighters to the Philippines worth 5.4 billion euros, describing the deal as supporting U.S. security and foreign policy concerns by enhancing the capability of a “strategic partner.”
The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that the operation had been approved and could involve the transfer of 20 F-16 fighter jets and related equipment to Manila, defining the Philippines as “an important force for political stability in Southeast Asia.”
The U.S. goal is to improve “the Philippine Air Force’s ability to conduct maritime surveillance and close air support missions, in addition to bolstering its ability to suppress enemy air defenses,” according to the State Department (Dod).
Philippines; Trump administration approves sale of 20 F-16 fighters