The Philippines is planning to procure more than 500 infantry fighting vehicles for its armed forces.
Revealed by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., the potential acquisition is part of the Southeast Asian country’s broader initiative to improve the safety and mobility of its warfighters.
The chief said the fleet will directly benefit ground troops, who he said would “need to react fast and they must be fully protected, along with their vehicles.”
Teodoro declined to give additional details, citing security, but verified that the new platforms will reduce foot patrols and act as a deterrent by enabling faster response times.
The Philippine Armed Forces currently operates Sabrah and FV101 Scorpion light tanks, M113 tracked armored vehicle variants and various wheeled armored vehicles, the Kia KM450 and K151 Raycolt light tactical vehicles, and an array of combat support, artillery, and engineering vehicles.
Modernizing Arsenal
The announcement comes after Manila said it is negotiating with Tokyo to adopt five retired Abukuma-class destroyer escorts as well as Type 88 anti-ship missiles from the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
In May, Washington cleared a foreign military sale of Bell Textron’s 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters to the Philippines, providing an advanced light airborne capability for the country’s military.
The Philippine Air Force also expanded its rotary-wing fleet last January with five additional S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, equipped with eight M134-H miniguns to boost troop insertion and suppressive fire capabilities.
Last year, the Philippine Navy signed a $580-million contract to buy two South Korean warships, building on a 2021 agreement for two frigates, and launched its first BrahMos anti-ship missile battery acquired from India in 2022.
