The timing of this approval is significant as the Philippines has been engaged in a series of escalating maritime confrontations with China over disputed territories in the South China Sea. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have increasingly voiced support for Manila in countering Chinese maritime expansion. During his recent visit, Hegseth committed to “reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region,” calling attention to China’s growing assertiveness. Additionally, Philippine military leadership, including General Romeo Brawner, has publicly stated that a conflict in Taiwan would inevitably involve the Philippines, urging preparations for possible hostilities. Preparations for such scenarios have reportedly influenced the planning of joint U.S.-Philippine exercises, such as the annual “Balikatan” drills. These developments add urgency to the Philippine modernization program, of which the F-16 acquisition is a cornerstone.
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Tag: Foreign Military Sales
The F-47 Sixth-Generation Warplane Is a Colossal Waste of Money
For a fraction of the cost of the F-47, swarms of drones can be built and integrated with existing airframes like the F-22 and F-35, all of which can enhance the Air Force’s ability to project power without breaking the bank.
The F-47 Sixth-Generation Warplane Is a Colossal Waste of Money
Human bodies being vaporized in Gaza by US bombs & military assistance to Israel
Human bodies being vaporized in Gaza by US bombs
He added that among the prohibited weapons used by the Zionists are high-explosive bombs with terrifying sounds, and a person who is 200 or 300 meters away from these bombs will evaporate.
According to research conducted by Harvard University, it is possible that Israel has used American-made Mark-84 (MK-84) bombs in violation of humanitarian law in Gaza.
Related
03-01-2025: Military Assistance to Israel
Read More »Trump admin continues US tip-toe to war with China…
🇺🇸🇨🇳 Trump admin continues US tip-toe to war with China…
US State Dept. has JUST removed explicit rejection of Taiwan independence from its “US Relations with Taiwan” page.
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2 new Chinese warplanes could mean the end of US air superiority
As if not enough is going on in the world, the Chinese military has flown two new stealthy jets. Some military observers consider them a tangible threat to the U.S. One is a bomber and one is a fighter. Lexington Institute military analyst Rebecca Grant joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss what it all means.
2 new Chinese warplanes could mean the end of US air superiority
Related:
Read More »US ‘quietly’ supplied weapons to Ukraine before Russia’s operation started, Blinken says
The Interview: Antony Blinken Insists He and Biden Made the Right Calls
You made two early strategic decisions on Ukraine. The first, because of that fear of direct conflict, was to restrict Ukraine’s use of American weapons within Russia. The second was to support Ukraine’s military offensive without a parallel diplomatic track to try and end the conflict. How do you look back on those decisions now? So first, if you look at the trajectory of the conflict, because we saw it coming, we were able to make sure that not only were we prepared and allies and partners were prepared, but that Ukraine was prepared. We made sure that well before the Russian aggression happened, starting in September and then again December, we quietly got a lot of weapons to Ukraine to make sure that they had in hand what they needed to defend themselves, things like Stingers, Javelins that were instrumental in preventing Russia from taking Kyiv, from rolling over the country, erasing it from the map, and indeed pushing the Russians back. But I think what’s so important to understand is at different points in time, people get focused on one weapon system or another. Is it an Abrams tank? Is it an F-16? What we’ve had to look at each and every time is not only should we give this to the Ukrainians but do they know how to use it? Can they maintain it? Is it part of a coherent plan? All of those things factored into the decisions we made on what to give them and when to give it.
Related:
TASS: US ‘quietly’ supplied weapons to Ukraine before Russia’s operation started, Blinken says
Ukraine began artillery strikes against the Donbas republics on February 16th, 2022.
“In other words, Ukraine began shelling the independent republics of Donetsk and Luhansk nine days before Russia announced its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine.
“While the western corporate media remained completely silent, explosions documented by the OSCE increased from 76 on February 15th, to 316 on February 16th, to 654 on February 17th, and to 1,413 on February 18th.
[02-18-2022] Shelling in Donbass brings Europe to brink of war
What’s Really Going On In the South China Sea Between the Philippines and China
What’s Really Going On In the South China Sea Between the Philippines and China
by Tina Antonis
Maritime clashes between the Philippines and China had been mostly over the Philippines’ military outpost, BRP (BRP—Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas, which translates to “Ship of the Republic of the Philippines”—the ship prefix for the Philippines) Sierra Madre, in the Spratly Islands, which is disputed by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan (a province of China, as recognized by the United Nations’ Resolution No. 2758), and Vietnam. The BRP Sierra Madre was intentionally run aground on a reef near the Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands, in 1997, so that the Philippines could stake their territorial claim.
Read More »US Navy Aircraft Transits Taiwan Strait, China Responds (+the U.S. is not obligated to defend Taiwan)
US Navy Aircraft Transits Taiwan Strait, China Responds
Read More »The U.S. Navy’s 7th fleet said a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft transited the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday.
…
Around once a month, U.S. military ships or aircraft pass through or above the waterway that separates
democratically governedTaiwan from China – missions that always anger Beijing. China claims sovereignty over the island of Taiwan and says it has jurisdiction over the strait. Taiwan and the United States dispute that, saying the strait is an international waterway.
For Taiwan, Trump’s ‘protection’ money may mean new and early big ticket arms deals
For Taiwan, Trump’s ‘protection’ money may mean new and early big ticket arms deals
“Watch for Taiwan on the defence side to try and start engaging them on a big arms package – to do something significant, very large,” Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council which helps broker defence exchanges between Washington and Taipei, told Reuters, adding it could come in the first quarter of next year.
“But think of it as a down payment, an attention getter,” he said. “They’ll stack up several big platforms and big buys of munitions.”
The U.S. is already Taiwan’s most important arms supplier, although Taiwan has complained of an order backlog worth some $20 billion. A new order, almost $2 billion of missile systems, was announced last month.
Related:
Profile at BowerGroupAsia: Rupert Hammond-Chambers
It’s officially published!
Read it at Antiwar.com or here with graphics. FYI, the “Ant” in Antonis is pronounced as 🐜.
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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