Philippines Military Forces 🇵🇭

Strategic Position

The Philippines occupies a central role in the First Island Chain, situated between the South China Sea—internally referred to as the West Philippine Sea—and the Pacific Ocean. The primary security concern remains the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, where the Philippines maintains claims over features within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). In 2025, the Department of National Defense (DND) formalized the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), marking a doctrinal shift from internal counterinsurgency to territorial defense. This strategy emphasizes the projection of military power to the limits of the EEZ and the protection of the nation’s 7,641 islands.

Bilateral defense is anchored in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States. This alliance is operationalized through the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the latter of which provides U.S. forces access to specific Philippine military bases. In 2026, the Philippines and the United States have scheduled over 500 joint military activities, including the Balikatan exercises, which integrate maritime, aerial, and cyber domains. Regional security is further coordinated through trilateral frameworks with Japan and the United States, as well as status-of-forces agreements with Australia.

Military Forces

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is structured into three primary branches: the Philippine Army (PA), the Philippine Navy (PN), and the Philippine Air Force (PAF). As of 2026, active personnel numbers are approximately 160,000, with an ongoing 10-year program aimed at increasing total troop strength to 220,000. The AFP also maintains a ready reserve force estimated at 1.5 million personnel.

Philippine Army: The PA is transitioning toward a combined-arms force capable of territorial defense. Its armored assets include Sabrah light tanks, which utilize both tracked ASCOD 2 and wheeled Pandur II 8x8 platforms equipped with 105mm guns. The army also operates M113 armored personnel carriers, Simba combat vehicles, and V-150 Commando vehicles. Artillery capabilities have been enhanced with the induction of ATMOS 2000 155mm self-propelled howitzers.

Philippine Navy: The PN operates a fleet centered on Jose Rizal-class guided-missile frigates and corvettes. The force is being augmented with Acero-class fast-attack interdiction craft, several of which were domestically assembled. A specialized capability resides in the Marine Coastal Defense Regiment, which operates shore-based anti-ship missile batteries. By early 2026, the PN is scheduled to reach full operational status for three batteries of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, which provide a shore-to-ship strike range of approximately 290 kilometers.

Philippine Air Force: The PAF focuses on maritime domain awareness and air defense. The primary strike and interceptor capability is provided by FA-50PH Fighting Eagle aircraft. Rotary-wing assets include a growing fleet of S-70i Black Hawk utility helicopters and T129 ATAK combat helicopters. Procurement plans for 2026 include the selection of a multi-role fighter (MRF) to provide high-performance air superiority capabilities.

Specialized Commands: In 2024, the AFP established the AFP Cyber Command to coordinate digital defense against state-sponsored actors and protect critical military infrastructure.

Defense Industry

The Philippine defense industry is governed by the Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Revitalization Act, signed into law in late 2024. This legislation prioritizes domestic production and technology transfer to reduce reliance on foreign imports. The Government Arsenal remains the primary state-run manufacturer of small arms and ammunition. Private firms such as Armscor Global Defense and Josefa Slipways contribute to the production of firearms and small naval craft, respectively. Recent technology transfer agreements with Israeli and South Korean manufacturers have enabled the domestic assembly of naval vessels and the maintenance of sophisticated missile systems.

Strategic Trends

The AFP is currently in the "Re-Horizon 3" phase of its modernization program, spanning 2024 to 2034 with an estimated budget of $35 billion. Procurement priorities focus on advanced domain awareness, long-range strike capabilities, and maritime denial. For fiscal year 2026, the proposed defense sector budget is approximately 385.97 billion PHP (roughly 1.25% of projected GDP), with 90 billion PHP specifically allocated to the AFP Modernization Program.

Constraints include the heavy reliance on "unprogrammed" or standby funds, which are only released when the government achieves excess revenue, creating potential delays in long-term procurement. Additionally, the military must balance the technical requirements of high-end territorial defense with persistent internal security mandates in specific regions of Mindanao and Luzon.