Philippines urged to ‘seriously’ address defence gaps to counter aerial threats

2026.03.19 09:20 Two Philippine Air Force FA-50 fighter jets fly during a joint patrol and training session with the US in February 2025. Photo: Philippine Air Force via AP As war rages in the Middle East thousands of miles from the Philippines, a senior military official has urged Manila to reflect on its own vulnerabilities, stressing that military modernisation should not be mere “lip service”. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr earlier this week called on the country to strengthen its air defences, particularly systems capable of intercepting missiles from hostile states, stressing that Manila should ensure its security suppliers meet demand in the logistics chain. “It’s a question of national resilience and defence. We should be taking such matters seriously,” he warned on Tuesday. The Philippines is currently developing an Integrated Air Defence System, a layered network of radar, command-and-control and interceptor systems, to protect airspace and critical assets. In 2022, the Philippine Air Force introduced the SPYDER system, its first ground-based air defence capability, designed to counter aircraft, drones and missiles. The mobile, medium-range system includes command-and-control and missile units capable of intercepting targets up to 50km away. The BrahMos weapons system on display in New Delhi, India. Photo: Reuters Experts say the Iran war underscores the need for robust air defence systems to protect key installations – including military bases, airports and other critical infrastructure – from aerial threats. Manila, according to Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a non-resident senior fellow of Verve Research, needed effective air defence to protect its BrahMos anti-ship missile system, as without sufficient aerial cover, any hostile actor could easily destroy the India-made arsenal. “Aerial threats come in the form of aircraft, missiles and cheap drones. Should Manila invest in expensive surface-to-air missile systems, or should it invest in a counter-drone s

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