MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippine Air Force (PAF) marked its 64th founding anniversary on Tuesday, defense officials revealed plans of acquiring at least six fighter jets to boost the armed forces' capabilities to protect the nation's airspace.

Officials bared the plan, which they said would take place within the term of President Benigno S. Aquino III, at a press conference with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo SL Oban, Jr.; and Air Force Commanding General Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena during the celebration of the 64th PAF founding anniversary at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

The acquisition of the fighter jets is in line with the AFP modernization program, which Gazmin said is a must for the armed forces to effectively fulfill its constitutional mandate to secure sovereignity of state and integrity of our national territory.

With the present state of the AFP, Gazmin said the urgent goal of modernizing the air force, navy, and the army "is seriously being undertaken by our national leaders."

As such, the secretary said the government is now looking at acquiring decent assets and equipment for the military, like fighter jets for the Air Force. This, as he noted that the airmen's strong determination to perform their sworn duty can't be matched by their ageing aircrafts.

According to Gazmin, the current state of the Air Force has left air skippers with very few and obsolete and unsafe wings.

This time, however, he said: "We are now louder and clearer in our desire to modernize."

The defense chief said fighter jet planes and multi-role aircrafts are important as it will address air defense capability to monitor and detect, to intercept and interdict.

He added these aircrafts can be used for both traditional and non-traditional military roles, including the conduct of search and rescue operations in times of disaster and calamity.