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SINGAPORE—The Philippines is targeting the deployment of its first military satellite by 2028 and plans to establish a dedicated space organization to oversee future military space operations.
“We are now planning to create our own space center, which will eventually evolve into a space force or command,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. told local media at a doorstep interview.
“We already have a budget for the satellite. If we wait to set up the center after we get the satellite, it will be too late,” he added.
Brawner said the AFP's initial space priorities will focus on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as secure military communications and networking to support capabilities including missile systems and uncrewed aircraft.
The initiative forms part of the Philippines' broader military modernization program. The AFP has been allocated PHP430.87 billion ($7.6 billion) for 2026, a 13.7% increase from the previous year.
The move mirrors a broader trend across the Asia-Pacific, where several militaries have established dedicated space organizations or are investing in sovereign satellite capabilities to support defense operations, communications and domain awareness.
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