Publication

The commentary analyses the Philippines' defense architecture in light of China's increasing military strength. It argues that the ongoing standoff between China and the Philippines in the disputed waters around Scarborough Shoal should serve as a wake-up call for Manila to reassess its external defenses. The Philippines could build a capable yet affordable external defense force by eschewing a traditional defense kit, and instead pursue an architecture designed around mobile coastal defense batteries equipped with long-range anti-ship missiles and protected by an integrated air defense umbrella. Such a concept would construct a credible deterrent in the South China Sea dispute.