The United States (US) Company "Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC)" just recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the development of the Repair Capability of the Philippine Company, "Ilocos-Negros Air Express Company (INAEC)".
On their Website, INAEC claims to be the first Philippine Airline, having been founded in 1932. As of now, INAEC is offering a wide range of Services to its Customers, which includes Aircraft Maintenance.
MY THOUGHTS: This to me is just one of the many Signs of an impending acquisition of the Philippines of the F-16C Fighting Falcon Block 70 Fighter Aircraft which is made by LMC. Remember that LMC promised to do the Component Level Maintenance of the Aircraft here in the Philippines if the F-16C is chosen, and now it looks like they have found their local Partner.
It makes me wonder why they would go through all that trouble in the first Place, Things like these are usually done only AFTER a Contract has been signed. Unless of course the Contract has been agreed at least verbally already.
Another Sign is that LMC has been doing a lot of Public Relations (PR) Activities here in the Philippines for the last Month or so. I suspect that this is being done not necessarily just to convince the Government of the acquisition, but to condition the Minds of the Philippine Public of such an expensive acquisition, which is worth more than the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge.
Also Gibo Teodoro has been extra brave against China lately, constantly challenging them verbally in Public. He wouldn’t be doing that unless the US backs us up, and so if the US insists on us buying the F-16C, then he would be in no Position to deny them that.
I think that the way they will “sell” this acquisition to the Philippine Public is that it is Part of the Deal with the US to reduce Tariffs, remember that Donald Trump has imposed Tariffs on many Countries including our own, so they will just say that us buying these expensive Product means supposedly “helping” our Economy also.
SOURCES:
US Gov’t expected to make F-16 Sale offer to PH ‘Soon’ {Archived Link}
Iloilo-Negros Air Express Company (INAEC) Website {Archived Link}
