Leonardo pushes long-term aerospace growth for Philippines

Insider Spotlight

• Leonardo pitches Eurofighter Typhoon with a focus on long-term local industrial participation
• Plan includes tech transfer, training and a potential logistics and training hub in the Philippines
• Strategy aims to generate sustainable jobs and deepen Filipino aerospace and defense expertise
  
  

Leonardo is positioning its Eurofighter Typhoon offer to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as more than a fighter jet deal, framing it as a long-horizon partnership to build local aerospace capability and high-value jobs in the country.

Manila is pushing ahead with defense modernization and is under pressure to boost both credible deterrence and economic resilience.

A package that ties advanced aircraft to technology transfer, skills development and local industry workshare could help the Philippines lock in long-term value rather than one-off procurement.

What Leonardo is saying

“Leonardo, as part of Eurofighter Consortium, stands ready to support the Philippines as it moves toward a more capable, self-reliant, and unmatched deterrence posture,” Tommaso Pani, senior vice president for marketing and sales, aeronautics division of Leonardo, said in a press release on Dec. 9, 2025. 

“Our approach is anchored on long-term partnership built not only on trusted performance, but also on meaningful investments in local capability, skills development, and national growth.”

Zoom in on jobs and skills

Leonardo’s proposal highlights technology transfer, structured training for Filipino engineers and pilots, and participation of local industry in the Eurofighter ecosystem. 

The company is also studying the potential establishment of a Eurofighter logistics and training hub in the Philippines, which could anchor recurring maintenance, repair and overhaul and simulation activities in-country.

That model would create highly skilled roles in systems integration, avionics, and through-life support, while giving Philippine suppliers access to global aerospace value chains.

Tommaso Pani 

Senior vice president for marketing and sales, aeronautics division of Leonardo

A platform for regional aerospace role

By hosting a Typhoon logistics and training hub, the Philippines could service not only its own fleet but potentially support regional operators, positioning the country as a niche player in the broader Indo-Pacific aerospace and defense network. This aligns with government ambitions to climb up the industrial value ladder and expand export-ready capabilities.

The big picture

Leonardo has supplied capabilities to the Philippines across air, land, sea and cyber domains for decades and is one of the core industrial partners in the Eurofighter Typhoon program alongside Airbus Germany, Airbus Spain and BAE Systems. —Vanessa B. Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma