DND chief says acquisition of fighter jets to push through

MANILA, Philippines - The acquisition of lead in fighter trainer jets for the Air Force will push through even if President Aquino seems to have reservations about huge defense spending.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the procurement process for the 12 lead in fighter trainer jets is underway.

“The documents are now with the Office of the President. We are just waiting for the sales agreement. Once that is approved, the negotiations will proceed,” Gazmin said in a press conference Tuesday.

Gazmin said for now, the government can only buy 12 jets or half of a squadron.

“Although a squadron consists of 24 (jets), our budget cannot afford it,” the defense chief said.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address  Monday, Aquino cited the high costs involved in buying fighter jets and other military equipment, creating impressions that he has reservations about huge defense spending.

“There are those who insist on upgrading our Armed Forces. I agree with this, but some of them act as if they want us to invest every centavo of our country into fighter jets, tanks, and other equipment for warfare,” the president said. 

“They may not know that one fighter jet costs 1.58 billion pesos—equivalent to 6,580 houses for our soldiers and our police force, or nearly 2,000 classrooms for our children. And what can one jet do? To be truly effective, we would need a squadron,” he added.

Aquino noted that the government needs to allot P37.92 billion just to assemble one squadron.

“What about practice missiles? And it is not as if jet fuel, a radar system, ground bases, and ground intercept controls are free. Building a minimum credible defense posture is not something we can take lightly,” he said.

Aquino cited the need to balance the need to meet the society’s needs and the need to remain as “a good and upstanding member of the community of nations.”

Gazmin, nevertheless, said the fighter jets are needed to defend the country from any threat.

Earlier, The STAR reported that the Defense department’s Bids and Awards Committee had approved the terms of reference for the acquisition of the jets.

The terms of reference, which contain key details of the acquisition, will soon be forwarded to Gazmin for final approval.

Once the terms of reference are approved with finality, the Defense department can begin the negotiations with the supplier, Korean Aerospace Industries.

The government has allocated P18.9 billion for the procurement of the 12 FA-50 fighter jets for the Air Force, which has suffered from a depleted inventory due to recent mishaps.