Joint Vision Statement on U.S.-Philippines Defense Industrial Cooperation: A New Direction for U.S.-Philippines Defense Industrial Cooperation

Key Chapter Title List

1. Alliance Foundation and Security Cooperation Background
2. Objectives and Strategic Value of Defense Industrial Cooperation
3. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: Unmanned Systems
4. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: Munitions Components/Energetic Materials
5. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: Critical Minerals
6. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: Logistics Support
7. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: Ship Maintenance and Repair
8. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: Airspace Integration
9. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)
10. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: Aircraft Maintenance and Repair
11. Near-term Cooperation Priority Area: System Components and Spare Parts Production
12. Key Work Directions for Advancing Cooperation

Document Introduction

This report originates from the Joint Vision Statement document jointly released by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Philippine Department of National Defense on March 28, 2025. The document is grounded in the long-standing, robust alliance between the United States and the Philippines, emphasizing their shared, steadfast commitment to achieving security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. The report notes that U.S.-Philippines bilateral defense cooperation, built upon the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement, and the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, has become a crucial pillar of the continuously deepening partnership between the two nations. Within this framework, strengthening defense industrial resilience has been established as a shared interest for advancing regional and economic security and promoting mutual prosperity.

The core content of the report systematically outlines the specific pathways and priorities for U.S.-Philippines defense industrial cooperation. The document clarifies that deepening defense industrial cooperation aims to incentivize the timely production and maintenance of defense materiel, enhance military interoperability between the two forces, promote burden-sharing, and strengthen regional deterrence capabilities. More strategic industrial cooperation will contribute to building a more comprehensive, balanced, and enduring security partnership while creating economic opportunities. To this end, both sides have identified and established nine priority areas with near-term cooperation potential as focal points for concentrated efforts.

These priority cooperation areas encompass a broad spectrum from high-end technology to foundational support, specifically including: production and logistics of unmanned systems; storage, complete round production, and logistics of munitions components/energetic materials; refining of critical minerals; logistics support; ship maintenance and repair; airspace integration; additive manufacturing (3D printing); aircraft maintenance and repair; and system components and spare parts production. This list reflects the strategic intent of both sides to strengthen supply chain resilience, enhance autonomous maintenance capabilities, and promote joint production.

To further advance the aforementioned cooperation, the report outlines four key work directions. First, both sides will seek to remove barriers to cooperation, incentivize participation, and improve the compatibility of industrial regulations and processes, particularly concerning technology transfer. Second, they are committed to identifying and incorporating necessary enablers to ensure the resilience of industrial cooperation initiatives. Third, they will seek cooperation opportunities and incentives in new technologies, innovation, and demonstration/validation. Fourth, they will focus on identifying specific opportunities for military co-production, storage, refining, and logistics support.

This vision statement aims to provide a basis for ongoing dialogue and explicitly states that it does not in itself constitute or create any rights or obligations under domestic or international law, does not give rise to any legal proceedings, and does not constitute any express or implied legally binding or enforceable commitment. The United States and the Philippines plan to jointly advance progress in defense industrial cooperation based on these priorities, in conjunction with the Philippines' Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, and create conditions for multilateral cooperation through the "Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience Partnership." This document provides an authoritative primary policy text for understanding the latest strategic alignment and practical cooperation planning of the U.S.-Philippines alliance in the field of defense industry.