The Philippines wants to further modernize its military with more assets, including Indian-made BrahMos missiles and at least two submarines, the nation’s Armed Forces chief said in mid-February 2025.
The Philippines has earmarked $35 billion for the upgrades over the next decade as it aims to counter the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) military buildup in the region. It’s the third phase of Manila’s “Horizons” modernization program.
“It’s a dream for us to get at least two submarines,” said Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) chief of staff. “We are an archipelago. So, we have to have this type of capability, because it’s really difficult to defend that entire archipelago without submarines.”
The Philippines bought a $375 million BrahMos anti-ship missile system from India in 2022 and has orders for more. “We are getting more of this [system] this year and in the coming years,” Brawner said.
The Philippines has said it is considering mid-range missiles and at least 40 fighter jets to boost its defense capabilities. It expects delivery in 2025 of at least two corvette vessels from South Korea, which elevated its ties with Manila to a strategic partnership in 2024.
Brawner also said Manila hopes South Korea will join a multilateral grouping comprised of Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States.
The Philippines’ military modernization comes as tensions with Beijing have escalated in the South China Sea. The PRC illegally claims most of the sea as its territory. Brawner said the AFP has seen increasing “illegal, coercive and deceptive” actions by the PRC in the resource-rich waterway, a vital global trade route.
“We have seen also an increase in the number of vessels in the West Philippine Sea on a daily basis,” Brawner said, referring to the portions of the South China Sea within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Brawner said a joint maritime activity had begun in mid-February with Canada and the U.S. in Manila’s EEZ. He said Manila is also considering joint activities with France, Italy and the United Kingdom to ensure an effective presence in the South China Sea.
