Presidential Aircraft Acquisition Project of the Philippine Air Force

The Philippine Air Force has requested for the acquisition of a new Presidential Aircraft, which would be used to  the President and the First Family, as well as other high-level government officials during official travels especially overseas.

With this, the Presidential Aircraft Acquisition Project was included in the Re-Horizon 3 phase priority projects. 

The Airbus Corporate Jets ACJ321neo. Photo credits to Aircharter Advisors.

Project Summary:

Presidential Aircraft Acquisition Project:

Note: Edited as of 26 July 2025.
 
* End User: Philippine Air Force (250th Presidential Airlift Wing)

* Quantity: 1 units, plus unspecified subsystems and ILS package

* Modernization Phase: Re-Horizon 3 Phase of RAFPMP

* Project ABC: Php8,813,750,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Negotiated Direct Contracting

* Source of Funding: Multi-Year Contractual Authority for (X) years, using General Appropriations Act (GAA) from FY2025 to FY200X.

* SARO Release/s: TBA

* Winning Proponent: TBA

* Product for Delivery: TBA

* Contract Price: TBA

* Residual Amount: TBA

* First post by MaxDefense: 15 June 2022

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PAFPresidentialAircraftAcquisition 

* Status: The project was included as part of the Re-Horizon 3 phase of the RAFPMP. The project's Terms of Reference are still being finalized as of 01 July 2025.


Overview:

The acquisition of a presidential aircraft has always been a sensitive issue in the Philippines, as spending billions of pesos on an aircraft that will fly the country's president around seems insensitive when the country has financial issues to pay for social services and needs of the general public.

But what many fail to understand is that, being the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, the country's leader will need to be able to move around easily, both domestic and overseas, as part of his/her duties. And will also need to be done with high regard to safety, security, and capability to continue managing the affairs of the country wherever may be.

While there have been earlier attempts to procure a presidential of VVIP aircraft, this sensitivity has been a factor, thus the Department of National Defense and the Philippine Air Force previously made efforts to downplay such acquisition.

First, the project was renamed as the "Command and Control Aircraft" which is in fact a basic feature of a presidential aircraft, but the name allows it to downplay and concerns that it was in fact a VVIP aircraft with communications features.

Secondly, the DND and PAF made efforts to reduce the overall cost of such acquisition by selecting a small business jet aircraft capable only of domestic or regional air travel. In fact, the previous acquisition of the Gulfstream G280 as part of the Horizon 2 phase was too downplayed that in the end, the aircraft appears to be too small (the G280 is among the smallest business jets in the market today) to be used as a presidential aircraft for official travels, but only suitable for quick flights within the country.

In the end, the DND and PAF still relies on chartering either larger business jets (as in the recent trip to the United States by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a meeting with US President Donald Trump), or larger medium-long range airlines from Philippine Airlines.

Chartered aircraft usually do not have the extra requirements of a proper presidential aircraft, which includes customized layout to allow for a "flying office", a private room for the president and the first family, as well as lacking in military-spec secured communications equipment that allows for interoperability with existing communication systems of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Chartered aircraft are also more suited to passengers in volume, thus the presence of too many economy seats especially for a Government delegation that requires more tables and premium sleep-able seats.

With these capabilities lacking, it has been determined that having a proper presidential aircraft is needed, not just for travels but also for emergency when the high government officials including the president will need to be flown somewhere else for safety while continuing coordination with the rest of the government or the military.

The BBJ 737 MAX 9. Photo credits to Boeing.

Procurement Analysis:

Under Re-Horizon 3, a budget of Php8,813,750,000 (roughly US$157 million) was allocated for the procurement of a presidential aircraft.

This budget is, to be frank, very low to allow for the acquisition of a medium or long haul customized VIP aircraft like the Boeing Business Jet BBJ-787 and BBJ-777, and the Airbus Corporate Jets ACJ-330neo and ACJ350.

Instead, the budget might allow for a smaller aircraft like the ACJ319/320/321neo or or the BBJ737 MAX-7/8/9.

Other options may include customized but simpler versions based on the Airbus A320neo or A321neo, or the Boeing B737 MAX 7/8/9 variants.

It will eventually depend on what the specifications require, it there will be a lot of customizations required including the level of luxury features.

If extra space is needed to allow non-VIP additional seating for passengers like media/press personnel, low-level government or military officials,etc., it is best for the consideration of the longer variants which includes the ACJ321neo or the BBJ737 MAX-9.

Both Airbus and Boeing are capable of delivering the aircraft, but it will depend on price, inclusions, support, and probably political reasons as to what aircraft will be selected.

So far, the Philippine Air Force has better relations with Airbus due to the presence of the Airbus-CASA C-295M/W aircraft in its fleet as well as existing support agreements, while there are no Boeing aircraft in the PAF's inventory.

But with the recent meeting of Pres. Marcos and US Pres. Trump, there might be some considerations made to give Boeing an incentive to finally have something for the AFP considering its failure to achieve an order for its offerings which include the F-15EX Eagle II fighter, AH-64E Apache Guardian and AH-6  attack helicopters, CH-47F Chinook heavy lift helicopter, and P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Length difference of the BBJ 737-7, 737-8 and 737-9. Photo credits to Boeing Business Jets.

Both Airbus and Boeing are capable of delivering the aircraft, but it will depend on price, inclusions, support, and probably political reasons as to what aircraft will be selected.

So far, the Philippine Air Force has better relations with Airbus due to the presence of the Airbus-CASA C-295M/W aircraft in its fleet as well as existing support agreements, while there are no Boeing aircraft in the PAF's inventory.

But with the recent meeting of Pres. Marcos and US Pres. Trump, there might be some considerations made to give Boeing an incentive to finally have something for the AFP considering its failure to achieve an order for its offerings which include the F-15EX Eagle II fighter, AH-64E Apache Guardian and AH-6  attack helicopters, CH-47F Chinook heavy lift helicopter, and P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Boeing also has an advantage considering the Philippines uses mostly American-sourced communications equipment which will make it easier to do with Boeing in terms of technical and political reasons.

Another concern is range. Airbus claims that the ACJ320 has an flying endurance of up to 15 hours or a range of up to 6,750 nautical miles, while Boeing claims the BBJ737 can also have a flying endurance of 15 hours and a range of around 6,600 nautical miles.

This range is enough for the aircraft to fly from Manila to Los Angeles, California at normal cruising/economy speed.

Whatever the selection may be, this would definitely improve the way the Commander in Chief would be flying, with the aircraft good enough to have the callsign "Kalayaan One".

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First edit and release: 26 July 2025
Copyright Philippine Defense Resource / MaxDefense Philippines

Additional FA-50 Aircraft Acquisition Project of the Philippine AIr Force

As part of continued efforts to improve its air combat capability, the Philippine Air Force requested for the acquisition of additional Fighter / Surface Attack Aircraft / Lead-in Fighter Trainers, which is its term for Light Combat Aircraft, as part of the Re-Horizon 3 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

This resource page focuses on the acquisition of Additional FA-50 Fighting Eagle light combat aircraft, which is actually the second acquisition of the said aircraft under the RAFPMP, the first being as part of the Horizon 1 phase.

Two FA-50PH Fighting Eagle LCAs of the Philippine Air Force during Exercise Pitch Black 2024 in Northern Territory, Australia. Photo credits to the French Air and Space Force.

Project Summary:

Additional FA-50 Aircraft Acquisition Project (aka Fighter / Surface Attack Aircraft / Lead-in Fighter Trainer Phase 2) :

Note: Edited as of 17 July 2025.
 
* End User: Philippine Air Force (5th Fightrer Wing)

* Quantity: 12 units, plus unspecified munitions and ILS package

* Modernization Phase: Re-Horizon 3 Phase of RAFPMP

* Project ABC: Php40,000,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Government-to-Government (G2G) deal between the Philippine DND and South Korea Ministry of Defense

* Source of Funding: Multi-Year Contractual Authority for (X) years, using General Appropriations Act (GAA) from FY2025 to FY200X.

* SARO Release/s: TBC

* Winning Proponent: Korea Aerospace Industries

* Product for Delivery: FA-50 Block 70 Fighting Eagle light combat aircraft

* Contract Price: Php39,999,995,509.54

* Residual Amount: Php4,490.46

* First post by MaxDefense: 15 June 2022

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PAFAdditionalFA50Acquisition #PAFFSAALIFTPhase2Acquisition

* Status: The project was included as part of the Re-Horizon 3 phase of the RAFPMP, and was acquired through Government-to-Government mechanism with the South Korean Ministry of Defense. Notice of Award given to Korea Aerospace Industries on 21 May 2025, and a Contract was signed between the DND and KAI on 02 June 2025. Delivery of first 3 units expected by 1st or 2nd quarter 2028.


Overview:

In the Philippine Air Force's original plan under the Revised AFP Modernization Program drafted and approved in 2014, it was indicated that the PAF will need at least 24 Surface Attack Aircraft (SAA), which is its term for a jet-powered light combat aircraft capable of launching bombs, air-to-ground missiles, rockets and other munitions to attack land and naval surface targets.

The plan was to procure an initial batch of 12 units under Horizon 1 priority phase, and 12 units under the Horizon 2 priority phase.

So far, the Philippine Government under former President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III was able to meet the request to acquire the initial batch under the Horizon 1 phase, which saw the selection and procurement of the FA-50 Fighting Eagle light combat aircraft from South Korean aviation company Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

The term used back in 2015 was "Fighter / Surface Attack Aircraft / Lead-in Fighter Trainer", which is a combination indicating its intended purpose of being a light fighter aircraft capable of air combat and surface attack missions, as well as being used as a lead-in fighter trainer for pilots being prepared for assignment on more advanced Multi-Role Fighters.

12 FA-50PH Fighting Eagle LCAs were delivered to the PAF starting late 2015, and was completed by July 2017.

These aircraft formed the revitalized fighter component of the PAF, conducting air policing and patrols, ground attack, surveillance and training platform for fast jet student pilots.

While it was hoped that the second batch of F/SAA/LIFT aircraft as well as the first batch of Multirole Fighters would be acquired as part of the Horizon 2 phase, the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte failed to finance both projects despite getting approval.

With Horizon 3 phase arriving, which later on was revised to the current Re-Horizon 3 plan, the acquisition of a second squadron of 12 F/SAA/LIFT aircraft was again included, which eventually was renamed as the "Additional FA-50 Aircraft" Acquisition Project after a decision by the DND and PAF was made to do a follow-on order of the FA-50 Fighting Eagle instead of selecting a different model for commonality reasons.

This was despite offers made by several other aircraft manufacturers including Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) which offered the Hurjet, Hindustan Aerospace Industries (HAL) with their Tejas Mk.1A, Boeing and Saab with their T-7 Red Hawk, and Leonardo with their M-346FA.

The TAI Hurjet was among those offered to the PAF for the F/SAA/LIFT Phase 2 project. Photo credits to TAI.

With the selection, the DND moved to procure the aircraft via Government-to-Government (G2G) process. Despite the who negotiation process happening since 2023, the proper tender tender process was only on April 2025, although the process from then on was very quick,with a Notice of Award released in favor of Korea Aerospace Industries as early as 21 May 2025, and a contract signed between KAI and the DND in Camp Aguinaldo on 02 June 2025

Based on information released by the DND, the aircraft will be the FA-50 Block 70, with the first batch of 3 aircraft are expected to be delivered on or before 2nd quarter of 2028, with the entire order expected to be delivered by 2030.

The Block 70, previously known as the Block 20, is a further evolution of the FA-50 Fighting Eagle from Korea Aerospace Industries. 

It will have ability to use carry the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod and the GBU-12 Paveway II smart bomb which were added under the Block 50, as well as the 300 gallon center line tank and an aerial refuelling capability from the Block 60.

In addition, the Block 70 will have AESA surveillance and fire control radar, enabling the use of beyond visual range air to air missiles (BVRAAM) and off boresight air to air missiles.

These would make them more advanced than the PAF's current fleet, which are Block 0 or 1 variants that have some few modifications in terms of data link, communications, and possibly on updates on its mechanical fire control radar.

This new Block 70 aircraft would be the same as those ordered by Malaysia and Poland recently.

A scale model of the FA-50 Fighting Eagle ordered by Malaysia which is said to also be Block 70 aircraft. Credits to original source.

This chart describe the progression from Block 50 to Block 70 of the FA-50 Fighting Eagle. Photo credits to Frances Mangosing.

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First edit and release: 26 July 2025
Copyright Philippine Defense Resource / MaxDefense Philippines