US & Philippines formalise agreement to secure shared military intelligence & weapons technology

On Monday, the United States and the Philippines formalized an accord designed to facilitate the secure exchange of highly classified military intelligence and technological assets pertinent to advanced weaponry that the U.S. intends to supply to Manila. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro ratified the binding General Security of Military Information Agreement in Manila amid an era of intensified defense and military collaboration between the two longstanding treaty allies. This surge in cooperative endeavors, including extensive joint military exercises, predominantly responds to China’s increasingly assertive conduct within Asia.

The outgoing Biden administration has actively bolstered a network of military alliances spanning the Indo-Pacific, strategically enhancing preparedness against potential confrontations with China, notably over Taiwan or territorial disputes within the South China Sea, which Beijing largely claims as sovereign waters. The move is consistent with the strategic direction that Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has taken on the country’s external defense posture amid an unmistakable surge of territorial confrontations between Chinese and Filipino forces within the contested South China Sea.

Manila’s Department of National Defense said, will protect classified military intelligence exchange between the U.S. and the Philippines. Under this agreement, the Philippines will gain access to advanced military capabilities and large defense acquisitions from the U.S., the defense department said.

While neither side provided more information about the details or releasing the accord, two Philippine security officials, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of how sensitive the issue is, said this accord represents similar deals that Washington has made with other allies. It will allow the Philippines and the United States to share improved intelligence and advanced weaponry, including missile systems. Moreover, the agreement would offer the Philippine military access to some U.S. satellite and drone surveillance technologies, along with other strict measures designed to keep intelligence and sensitive weapon details safe and leak-free.Efforts by the Philippines to secure advanced weaponry from the U.S. military have historically been hindered by the absence of an intelligence-sharing agreement, notably evident during the 2017 siege in Marawi city by militants aligned with the Islamic State group. Although no such agreement was concluded, Phillipine forces, backed by the United States and Australia with reconnaissance planes, managed to quell the insurgency after five months of guerrilla war.In an obvious deepening cooperation, Austin and Teodoro attended a groundbreaking for a newly planned center meant to facilitate coordinating joint military operations, also intelligence sharing. Austin said this facility would make it easy to work cooperatively on regional challenges. Reiterating the U.S. commitment, he said to Teodoro, “we are more than allies. We are family.”.Teodoro emphasised that the centre would enable a comprehensive view of mutual responsibilities and harmonised strategies against security threats, noting its lasting value for future generations despite potential shifts in leadership