

Philippines orders 12 more FA-50 combat jets from South Korea
Manila has actively purchased frigates, corvettes, aircraft and weapons from South Korean defense firms to modernize its armed forces.

Asia Pacific
Vendors line up to fill Japan’s F-35 pilot training gap
Tokyo is currently mulling its options for new advanced jet trainers.

Philippines defense boss throws cold water on large F-16 buy from US
“As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing on the table for me to consider,” Gilberto Teodoro said in an interview.

‘Imminent’ threat? Hegseth escalates tone on China in key Asia speech
The assessment is a major departure for the U.S. government, and it came with a nudge that nations must choose between Washington and Beijing.

Pentagon ends new radar effort meant for Guam missile defense
The Pentagon quietly directed the Missile Defense Agency to stop development of a new radar to protect Guam, according to a recent GAO report.

No clear plan for supporting Guam missile defense system, GAO finds
The Government Accountability Office warn a firmer plan for management of Guam's missile defense architecture is needed.

Marines, Army deploying missile systems to Luzon Strait
Segments of the training area where the systems will operate are less than 90 miles from Taiwan.

Asian navies eye undersea drones to find hidden infrastructure threats
Their presence might pose challenges for Southeast Asia, however, where there is no formal mechanism for Navy-level exchanges in the underwater domain.

Israeli defense firms lament a chill from erstwhile client Philippines
The source of the bilateral freeze is murky, with some executives here blaming the Israeli government’s unwillingness to back Filipino sovereignty claims.

Hegseth to attend Asia defense summit, with no China meeting planned
Beijing normally sends its defense minister to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore but is unlikely to this year.

New Zealand eyes cargo planes, helicopters, Javelins in new budget
New Zealand’s defense spending is scheduled to reach 2% of GDP by 2032-2033.

Turkey’s STM targets Southeast Asian market with new ship design
The pitch aligns with Turkey’s growing focus on Asian defense markets.

Pacific land force leaders seek ‘positional advantage’ against China
More ships, partnerships and strike assets are in store for Pacific land forces.

Pakistan wields Chinese weapons against India, and analysts take notes
Besides long-range aerial fights, both sides also launched drones and cruise missiles against enemy infrastructure, bringing air-defense systems into play.

US Typhon missile system in Philippines is a subtle headache for China
Officials in Manila have said they want to acquire similar systems in the future as part of military modernization.

Top US general in Korea talks maps, China, and getting Patriots back
“It begins with looking from an enemy’s perspective and then seeing where you are and how you might array your capabilities,” Gen. Xavier Brunson said.
