LOCKHEED Martin Corp. said that it will establish a repair and maintenance facility in the Philippines to service the F-16 fighter jet and the C-130 cargo plane.
“One of the flagship programs from a direct military perspective in supporting our forces is this repair capability… (serving) existing platforms like the C-130 and the F-16,” said Aimee P. Burnett, Lockheed Martin’s vice-president for Integrated Fighter Group Business Development.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) operates the C-130 Hercules, a turboprop transport aircraft, and is set to receive 20 F-16 Vipers.
The US State Department recently cleared the sale to the Philippines of the F-16s in a package worth $5.58 billion, including spares, munitions, avionics, and technical support services.
Lockheed Martin plans to “work with and through local partners. We connect into and help develop and expand the aerospace and defense ecosystem, that’s in training and capability,” according to William L. Blair, Lockheed Martin Global, Inc. regional chief executive for Asia.
He noted the critical role played by maintenance, repair and overhaul in supporting the US bilateral engagement with the Philippines.
The Philippines has sought to bolster its ability to defend its territory in the face of Chinese encroachments in the South China Sea. Its defense spending plans include a P35-billion military modernization program over the next decade. — Adrian H. Halili