The Department of National Defense (DND) bids and awards committee of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is now studying the 2nd horizon modernization program and is considering to acquire a multirole fighter aircraft that can perform multiple role missions simultaneously.
A military defense expert said the Philippines should not just rely only on western military fighter aircraft which is so expensive such as F-16V and Jas 39 Gripen worth approximately $60million each. The F-15SE at $100million per unit, but should also look to other sources and suppliers from Israel or Russia.
The Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-E fighter jet worth $40million per unit. It’s not just only cheap, but it is also combat proven, defense expert added.
Watch this Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-E
The Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-E is the strongest jet fighter as of now in operation with the Russian Air Force. It is powered by twin powerful Saturn AL- 41 (117) turbofans. These engines have thrust vectoring, allowing the aircraft to climb at a greater rate than its predecessor, the first Soviet-time Su-27. The aircraft can reach speeds of Mach 2.25, roughly 2,400 kilometers per hour on internal fuel tanks. It conveys a colossal payload and with the propelled suite of aeronautics, makes the Su-35 a greatly unsafe enemy to any U.S. warplane, except for the stealthy Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
That is a reason why the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force has signed a contract to buy 24 units, Sukhoi Su-35 multipurpose fighter jets from Russia, becoming the first foreign buyer of the advanced warplane, according to manufacturer Rostec.
Likewise, the Indonesian government has decided to purchase Russian-made Su-35 multirole fighters, its desire to order 16 units, Sukhoi Su-35 fighters to replace its aging fleet of Northrop F-5Es.
What do you think? Is the government should also do the same like the Indonesia and make the Russian Sukhoi Su-35S fighter jet be as an alternative for the next advance fighter aircraft of the Philippine Air Force?
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov conveyed this to Senate President Franklin Drilon and other Filipino officials during discussions in Moscow, Russia last October on pressing global issues, including the need to look for a peaceful resolution of the conflict with China over certain areas in the West Philippine Sea.
Drilon and Lavrov also agreed on strengthening bilateral relations.
Drilon said he informed Lavrov that “both countries can still work together to strengthen regional peace and stability.”
“Our efforts at the regional level should be complemented by our work at the bilateral level. This is why the Philippine is keen on deepening relations with Russia on all fronts.” he said.
Drilon also said that the Philippines is also interested in signing a number of pending agreements from consular protection to humanitarian cooperation, to trade and investment enhancement, to fighting transnational crimes, including terrorism, to defense and security cooperation, among others. – Carl E.
Also, read this: Philippines Next Fighter Jets – Jas 39 Gripen
This ill not be viable, as Russia is a very close ally of China and North Korea, how do you suppose we maintain and resupply this aircraft if the only one able to do it, is our enemies alliance. We should stick with NATO, Korea and Japan.
Haay, Philippine technology infrastructure is American based and is already in place. Any replacement with Russian based technology needs a political decision from the executive branch and will be funded by authority of congress. The Philippine defense establishment plans only within the authority given it by civilian authority. Is the Philippine military so stupid they don’t know how to make studied decisions about capabilities, etc? Chinese (Indian, Middle East, etc. for that matter) have been Russian technology destinations for decades so they are ready to receive the SU line of warplanes (like the one shot down by a Turkish F-16 lately). You are right in focusing your attention on Senate President Drilon, that issue is in his province. An American congressman once asked a West Point faculty “Why are you in Vietnam?”. The Army officer answered “I don’t know why but I know that you sent us there”.
Why not indeed? We have more advantages. Our dependence on the U.S. would be reduced. Besides, the human factor is a major factor in combat. This was proven in the Filipino American War in the 1900s. We defended our nation single-handedly against the U.S.- the emerging most powerful nation in the world for a decade. So potent was our defense until the U.S. Armed Forces resorted to massive kidnappings and extermination of the civilians among us. We now know our weakness then. We should today develop our civilians into a potent reserve defense force.
However, no matter how strong is our defense system, if its DNA or Developmental National Attributes has been altered by the U.S. occupants in the 1900s, to recognize them as our master and the rest, merely relative to how it will benefit them as our masters, our defense will remain in a state of autoimmune disease. This disease of the immune system in biology is the same pattern in sociology. It is the defense of the self, destroying the self or part of the self which is pathologically recognized as foreign invaders.
Unless we recognize this more basic disease of our nation- who our self is, who are our friends, and who are our enemies, our defense system will remain in a state of Alienation Impotency Dependency Syndrome. Our defense system will remain at the service of the U.S. and not of us, filipinos.
its about time to brought those russian jets. the western jet aircraft are quite expensive. besides the russians are lone wolf after all. they themselves don’t support chinese aggression.
As well as the Rafale, Eurofighter, Gripen. India is procuring the Rafale.