The Diplomat:
This week, the Philippine defense establishment confirmed that the Southeast Asian state had received missile systems from Israel for its attack craft that had been added to its arsenal last year. While long expected and somewhat delayed, the arrival of the missile systems nonetheless constitutes a boost for Manila as it seeks to expand its limited military capabilities under President Rodrigo Duterte.
As I have noted before in these pages, as the Philippines seeks partners to realize some key line items in its ongoing military modernization, the Philippines and Israel have been making inroads in the defense realm over the past few years, including through several procurement deals.
Over the years, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has placed orders for a range of equipment, including missile systems, armored personnel carriers, and radars, from several Israeli firms.
