US attack helicopters for Manila – will it or won’t it?
The Philippine Air Force’s (PAF’s) desire to obtain new dedicated attack helicopters lurched forward on 30 April, when the US State Department announced a potential FMS of either Bell AH-1Z Viper or Boeing AH-64E Apache aircraft.
According to the State Department: ‘The Philippines is considering either the AH-64E or the AH-1Z to modernise its attack helicopter capabilities.’
For a long time, the Turkish Aerospace T129 Atak helicopter has been the preferred choice for the PAF.
Unfortunately for Manila, however, the sale of Turkish helicopters could quickly snarl to a halt due to political red tape, since there are fears the
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics]()
AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics
The US Air Force is evaluating demonstrators for uncrewed cargo missions as it considers logistics requirements across the Pacific and other contested environments.
-
![Germany air focus: Europe’s leading near-term air market targets domestic industry]()
Germany air focus: Europe’s leading near-term air market targets domestic industry
Between 2026 and 2032, almost a quarter of EU aircraft spending is expected to come from Germany. While crewed programmes seek modernisation and replacement, uncrewed opportunities look to introduce entirely new capabilities, with both highlighting sovereignty and domestic production.
-
![Europe risks losing control of CUAS production capacity as manufacturers look abroad]()
Europe risks losing control of CUAS production capacity as manufacturers look abroad
European counter-drone developers are securing early orders in the Middle East while slow domestic acquisition processes threaten to redirect production capacity, expertise and investment away from Europe.
