Do we even know any requirements from the Philippine AF?
I have not seen any published requirements from the Philippines Air Force (PAF).
So how can Philippines afford any jet fighter... ?
The answer is no and I am in agreement with the posts from Bonza and Adroth from June/July 2011, which are quoted below:
...I have serious doubts the PAF are going to acquire any modern front-line fighter aircraft in the foreseeable future. The costs of acquisition, support and maintenance are just too high. It's a shame for the PAF, but I don't know how the country would afford it considering all the other capabilities that need to be filled also.
Things got really worse in 1991 when the Philippine Congress opted to close the US bases . . . and failed to increase the AFP budget to compensate.
Because the US funded the PAF for so long, we never really fully grasped what it took to operate and maintain an air force. We were reaping the benefits of air power, but we weren't spending much of our own funds for that benefit.
According to
SIPRI, with their 2011 defense budget of only US$2.2 billion (in 2010 dollars) or pesos 104.7 billion, they can't seem to afford it (despite the fact that the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) now have access of a number of sources of funding, that was not available before).
Media speculation/reports seems to indicate that they do not intend to buy "real" mutli-role fighters (MRFs). IMO, they intend to buy 6 to 12 Lead In Fighter Trainers (LIFTs), which will also be additionally tasked as surface attack aircraft (SAA). If I am not wrong, it is often reported as the country looking for
non-US sourced fighters - which many believe to be Korean or Italian sourced). Their air force needs to acquire LIFTs anyway before attempting to buy MRFs.
The PAF does not have any advanced jet trainers, and its remaining Aermacchi S.211 (serving as basic and intermediate jet trainers) are in urgent need of replacement and there is published requirement for the S211 refurbishment by their air force, given that the PAF needs to train their pilots before they can operate MRFs. On 6 Nov 2012, Aerotech Industries Philippines was awarded a pesos 69.5 million contract to perform a Major Structural Inspection (MSI) of S211 #021 of the Philippine Air Force. MSI, alternatively referred to as Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM) or Inspection Replace As Necessary (IRAN), is a process by which the subject aircraft is taken apart and all its components — with the exception of the engine, ejection seat, and similarly self-contained systems — are evaluated and then replaced when required.
horge would have a better grasp of the details of the twists and turns (as speculated by their local media).
...what is their Requirements?
To make it seem as if their politicians are doing something (when their procurement system is only capable of moving at a snail's pace). This endless stream of local media speculation on buying fighters seems to have be started by
President Benigno Aquino III in Dec 2011 (and it seems he spoke out of turn without understanding the problems on the ground, in the PAF, before acquiring EDA F-16s from the US). As previously discussed in this thread, the US will not provide F-16s as EDAs when PAF cannot raise, train and sustain the force requested (their current locally trained pilots would not be qualified for type conversion for F-16s as they don't have access to LIFTs locally). And its clear that the PAF currently are not able to clear the raise and train hurdles (much less sustain the force, they aspire towards). Basically, Voltaire Gazmin, the Secretary of Defense seems to be pretending the coming procurement of the LIFT/SAA is buying fighter aircraft and the confusing statements about buying fighters is really for domestic consumption (to save "face" for his boss, Aquino and also because many in their local press can't seem to tell the difference between a LIFT and a MRF).
It is hard to be optimistic of the state of AFP's procurement, when the existing Aquino administration can cancel the attack helicopter acquisition project (AFPMP-PAF-00-06-042) that was awarded to PZL Swidnik for the attack version of the W-3 Sokol (for suspected corruption - that is never proven). We have to keep in mind that the Philippines is ranked number 105 in the 2012 Corruption Perception Index.
There is a never ending stream of press releases coming from the DND that say or do nothing (eg. announcements about acquisition failure
like the recent failure to acquire Fennecs from France). They should stop this news cycle and do the announcements only when a purchase is definitive (i.e. contract signed). To make matters worse, it's press releases about nothing. At this point, the DND has zero credibility. This lack of credibility can be traced from at least Voltaire Gazmin, the Secretary of Defence downwards. The DND pretends to do modernization and their method is by press release rather than by action (See this 31 Oct 2012 report: "
Manila plans wide-ranging modernisation of air force", that was previously posted in this thread by another member).