Philippines seeking to expand military drone capabilities, says defence chief
Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the military also wants guided-missile corvettes and secure communications as tensions with Beijing rise.
- On Tuesday, Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told a Lower House budget hearing that the Philippines plans to expand unmanned capabilities, including acquiring drones and guided-missile corvettes, within a proposed 50 billion pesos modernization allocation for 2027.
- Rising tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea have driven the Philippines to shift its security focus from internal threats to external defence, as confrontations over disputed features inside Manila's exclusive economic zone have grown in frequency in recent years.
- The 50 billion pesos modernization allocation marks a 25 per cent rise over current spending, part of Teodoro's pitched 6.3 per cent budget increase for 2027, while armed forces currently operate a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles for intelligence and reconnaissance.
- Secure network capabilities and operational integration are critical, Teodoro warned, as drone systems are "very, very sensitive to compromise, particularly with AI," requiring careful prioritization of technical infrastructure alongside hardware acquisition.
- Manila is pursuing diverse foreign expertise to accelerate modernization; the United States provided four solar-powered sea drones in June, while Ukraine's ambassador to the Philippines, Yuliia Fediv, confirmed that Kyiv has been in discussions with Manila over drone technology cooperation.
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Philippines seeking to expand military drone capabilities in modernization push, defense chief says
US defense ally the Philippines also plans to acquire additional guided-missile corvettes and other major defense assets to beef up its external defense capabilities.
Philippines seeking to expand military drone capabilities, says defense chief
MANILA — The Philippines plans to expand its unmanned capabilities, including through development and acquisition of drones as part of efforts to modernize its military, its defense chief said on Tuesday. U.S. defense ally the Philippines also plans to acquire additional guided-missile corvettes and other major defense assets to beef up its external defense capabilities, Defense Secretary […] The post Philippines seeking to expand military drone…
Philippines seeking to expand military drone capabilities, says defence chief
The Philippines plans to expand its unmanned capabilities, including through development and acquisition of drones as part of efforts to modernise its military, its defence chief said on Tuesday.
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