U.S. State Dept OKs possible sale of F-16s, missiles to Philippines

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of F-16 fighter jets, as well as Sidewinder and Harpoon missiles, to the Philippines in three separate deals with a combined value of more than $2.5 billion, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

The Philippines is looking for a new multi-role fighter jet and is evaluating the F-16 and the SAAB Abs Gripen.

The announcement comes as the United States seeks to renew an agreement with the Philippines governing the U.S. troop presence in the country, which is critical to Washington’s strategy to counter ever-expanding Chinese activity in Asia.

Last week, the Philippines again suspended for another six months a move to scrap the two-decade-old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that had been due to expire in August.



Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-state-dept-oks-possible-sale-of-f-16s-missiles-to-philippines/ar-AALpjkW?li=BBnb7Kz

[keithbvadu2]

1. Whatever happened to the multi-billion$ of arms sales that Trump claimed to have made?

Whatever happened to the multi-billion$ of arms sales that Trump claimed to have made?

Which included some sales that had already been arranged before he took office.

[Mc Mike]

2. I'd like to see us send one missile to Duterte, personally.

[twodogsbarking]

3. We all agree this is a good thing.

Don't we?

[Politicub]

6. No. Expansion of the military industrial state is not a good thing.

[EX500rider]

7. The Philippine's being better prepared to stand up to China's bullying and land theft...

....I consider a good thing for them and that will require a more modern military which requires purchasing newer weapons systems.

[LiberalLovinLug]

4. If they can dump those lemons to that authoritarian good for them

The Gripen is a much superior jet for the money.

The US taxpayer has spend so much on the F-16 development, setbacks, etc...it will take a few of these deals to ever break even let alone make any money.

The American MIC decides they want a war jet that can do everything in the age of instant gratification. A swiss army knife of jets. Its a bomber AND a missile shooter, AND an air combat plane in one! What could go wrong? Turns out a jet has to have a certain weight and bulk to carry bombs, is not light enough for air combat. Or at least it sabotages both deployments trying to be all things to all situations. All kinds of electronic complications with so many functions to go wrong as well.

[EX500rider]

5. I think you are confusing the F-16 with the F-35

The F-16 has been a superb dog fighter sine the 1970's

[LiberalLovinLug]

8. My mistake. You are right.

Says something though that they would buy the one developed in the 70's over the newest shiniest jet. I just assumed this was the F-35, which is the one usually compared to the Gripen.

[Angleae]

9. The F-16 is much cheaper than the F-35

F-16: $12-35 million (depending on configuration)
F-35: $110 million
Gripen: $40-61 million

[LiberalLovinLug]

10. Okay thanks.

I'd rather have 2 Gripens than one F-35.

In Canada here, the Conservatives ordered F-35s back when they were on pre-order. But it kept having delays and setbacks. So long that the Liberals have now come into power.
The Liberal government now is putting a hold on that. The Gripen is made for northern climates. I really hope they go for the Gripen instead. Sorry U.S.