Delivery of F-16 jets may start next year - envoy

The F-16 fighter jets that the Philippines plans to acquire from the United States may be available for delivery next year at the earliest, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said yesterday.

- By PIA LEE-BRAGO

In an interview on dzBB, Romualdez said the delivery of 20 "brand-new" F-16 fighter jets and other defense equipment to the Philippines will be done in tranches in 2026 or 2027.

"These are all brand new. Some are by block. Some have been offered to us for a very long time now. These will be available for delivery sometime next year or 2027 (for) the succeeding ones," Romualdez said.

"It depends on the terms, if these are affordable for us and it is approved by the Congress and the President. But that is an offer as part of our AFP modernization program," Romualdez added.

The US State Department announced on April 1 the proposed sale of the F-16s and related equipment, worth an estimated $5.58 billion just days after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Manila and vowed to counter China's aggression.

Hegseth underscored the US' focus of maintaining a strategic advantage over China and the future of the world to be free, after speaking to leaders of the Philippines, Japan, Australia and South Korea.