The Philippine national government announced to the mediat that they will lease from Japan five aircraft to help patrol the hotly disputed South China Sea, as China expands its military presence in the disputed region.
During President Aquino’s visit at an air base south of Manila, the preident said he had done more to build the air force more than three previous governments by increasing the number of planes and helicopters to move troops, and supplies and guard the maritime borders of the country.
The Philippine military, for decades preoccupied with domestic insurgencies, has been shifting its focus to territorial defence, allocating 83 billion pesos ($1.77 billion) until 2017 to upgrade and modernise its air force and navy.
In an official statement, President Aquino revealed that the government will lease from Japan five TC-90 training aircraft to assist the Philippine Navy in its routine patrol in the West Philippine Sea and the areas around the disputed Spratly Islands.
Pres. Aquino was quoted as saying “We are also leasing from Japan five TC-90 training aircraft to assist our navy in patrolling our territories, particularly in the West Philippine Sea,” he said, referring to the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea.
The President, however, did not say when the Japanese aircraft would arrive. Last week, the Philippines and Japan signed a deal on the transfer of military equipment and technology, a document Japan needs to allow it to export weapons and guarantee they will not be transferred to a third party.
