Following the news that the Philippine Army has acquired 20 new Sabrah light tanks, from Israeli firm Elbit Systems, as part of the ongoing Horizon Two modernization program;

Tristan Sauer, Land Domain Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“The Philippine Army reactivated the 1^st Tank Battalion in April 2022 amid growing concerns over defense capabilities and has pursued the acquisition of several armored vehicle platforms to modernize the unit’s equipment. This includes the Sabrah light tank and the Pandur II 8×8 armored personnel carriers, which will significantly improve the Army’s lethality and mobility.

“These latest acquisitions mirror a wider trend within the Philippines’ defense procurement over the past year as officials focus on building relationships with Western-allied nations. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the threat of US-imposed sanctions has caused the newly installed Marcos administration to re-evaluate the procurement of Russian manufactured defense equipment signed off by then President Rodrigo Duterte. This resulted in the cancellation of a $227 million contract with Sovtechnoexport for 16 heavy lift helicopters in July 2022, which will reportedly be replaced with US manufactured aircraft.

“The Philippines has begun to significantly diversify its sources of defense materiel so as to avoid geopolitical tension with the US, with several ongoing procurement initiatives involving US-allied nations. The most recent examples include an order for six Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) from Australian shipbuilders Austal and a $624 million deal with Polish aerospace firm PZL Mielec for 32 additional S-70i Blackhawk helicopters.

“This diversification should provide the Philippine Department of National Defense with protection against future supply chain disruption while simultaneously reinforcing relationships with key regional allies and strategic partners who could prove critical in countering the increased geopolitical belligerence of China in the Asia-Pacific region.”