Lockheed Martin offers ‘strategic’ partnership to sway Philippines on F-16 Viper deal

Lockheed Martin is stepping up efforts to secure a long-discussed sale of F-16 Block 70 “Viper” fighter jets to the Philippines, pairing the proposal with an offer of industrial and academic partnerships aimed at boosting local innovation and manufacturing capabilities. 

In April 2025, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of 20 F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft, along with munitions and support, for an estimated $5.58 billion.  

The package includes AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles, GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs, JDAM and Paveway kits, spare engines, and electronic warfare systems. Lockheed Martin is also offering Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFTs), which would extend the Viper’s range without relying on aerial refueling, given the Philippines’ vast archipelagic territory and the lack of tankers in the Philippine Air Force fleet. 

The approval followed a similar 2021 DSCA clearance for 12 F-16s worth $2.4 billion, excluding weapons, a deal Manila declined due to budget constraints. At the time, the Philippine Department of National Defense showed greater interest in Sweden’s Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighters. A 2023 memorandum of understanding between Sweden and the Philippines hinted at a Gripen purchase, but no contract followed. 

At the same time, the Philippines is also expanding its current fleet of operational jets. In June 2025, the Philippine Air Force signed a $700 million deal, boosting its FA‑50PH fleet from 12 to 24 aircraft with delivery set through 2030. The upgraded batch includes AESA radar, aerial refueling capability, and improved air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground payloads 

Lockheed Martin’s industrial cooperation plan 

On August 12, 2025, the company announced a proposed “strategic partnership” with Southern Methodist University (SMU) to develop Philippine technical and industrial capacity. The initiative includes funding business incubators, creating a research lab and training facilities, and promoting technology transfer in modeling, simulation, robotics, and artificial intelligence. 

“We are committed to investing in the development of new capabilities and intellectual properties in close collaboration with leading universities and companies in the Philippines,” said Jess Koloini, Lockheed Martin F-16 Business Development. “This partnership will not only support the country’s Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP), but also create a lasting impact on the Filipino workforce, driving economic growth and prosperity.” 

Lockheed Martin also pledged to explore local maintenance and repair facilities, workforce training, and integration opportunities with the Philippine Air Force’s FA-50 fleet to streamline logistics and training.  

The FA-50 shares several design and operational features with the F-16, as it was originally developed by Korea Aerospace Industries from the T-50 trainer, built for South Korean Air Force pilots transitioning to the F-16. 

Financing still the main obstacle 

Even with the industrial partnership on the table, one key hurdle remains: how will Manila fund the acquisition? Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said in May 2025 that the government was “finding ways to look for money” for the $5.58 billion purchase, while also considering alternative priorities. 

“We’re really looking at other items that are, I think in the view of our national defense strategy, more important, […] our priority is more on perhaps land-based type of defense capabilities,” Romualdez told reporters. 

With Lockheed Martin’s F-16 production backlog estimated at more than 110 aircraft, even a signed agreement would likely see deliveries occur late in the decade. For now, whether the Viper offer moves forward may depend less on its capabilities, and more on whether the Philippines chooses to spend its defense budget on fighters at all. The post Lockheed Martin offers ‘strategic’ partnership to sway Philippines on F-16 Viper deal appeared first on AeroTime.

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