Lockheed Martin, a leading American aerospace and defense company, has expressed confidence that the US government will soon issue a formal offer for the proposed $5.58 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines.
“It is up to the US government to make that [formal] offer,” said Lockheed Martin Integrated Fighter Group Business Development Vice President Aimee Burnett at a press briefing in Taguig City on Wednesday.
She was asked to respond to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro’s statement at a defense summit in Singapore, where he noted that the Philippines has yet to receive a formal offer from the US State Department regarding the purchase of 20 F-16 jets and related equipment.
In April, the State Department announced its approval of the $5.58-billion (roughly P310.3-billion) sale of F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines.
Burnett clarified that while Lockheed Martin will supply the F-16 Block 70 jets, the negotiations are being handled directly between the US and Philippine governments.
The formal offer, she said, is a “decision to be made by the US government.”
“We do believe that it’s gonna be soon… We do expect it to be soon but the exact date of that offer is up to the US government,” Burnett said.
Burnett said that apart from F-16 jets, Lockheed Martin is also proposing the establishment of an Innovation Center in the Philippines — which would be the focal point for research and development collaboration, technology transfer and investment.
The defense technology company would also be providing maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities to the country by providing technologies and equipment to local industrial partners to allow them to directly repair Philippine Air Force aircraft.
“Lockheed Martin’s partnership with the Philippines extends beyond providing military capabilities,” said Burnett, noting that the company’s offer to the Philippines would be a “total package approach” as it aims to train Filipino technicians, enable in-country maintenance, as well as allocate funds for research.
Last week, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez disclosed that the Philippines is working with the US and Lockheed Martin to determine how it can finance the major F-16 acquisition.
Also on Wednesday, according to reports, Manila has entered into an agreement with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to procure 12 additional FA-50 fighter jets.
Valued at 1 trillion won (approximately USD 700 million or PHP 40 billion), the contract was signed on June 3 by senior officials from the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) and KAI.
The deal includes not only the aircraft but also logistical support, with deliveries scheduled between 2026 and 2030.
According to the report, KAI stated that the newly ordered FA-50s are an enhanced, more advanced variant compared to the FA-50PH jets currently in service with the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
