The Philippines and Ukraine plan to sign an agreement in the coming months on defense technology cooperation, potentially including drone coproduction, amid threats to each nation’s sovereignty by authoritarian regimes.
Kyiv has dramatically expanded its drone production since the Russia-Ukraine war began in early 2022, making uncrewed systems a cornerstone of its defense strategy. For example, Ukraine has deployed uncrewed surface vessels (USV) in operations targeting Russian warships in the Black Sea.
Ukraine established an embassy in Manila in 2024, which broadened the bilateral relationship, and is building “an alliance network with middle powers that have the same external security outlook,” Chester Cabalza, founder and president of the Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, told FORUM.
“The strategic advantage that the Philippines would get from Ukraine would be their actual combat skills against Russia’s gray-zone [tactics], and combat-tested drones emphasizing affordability, asymmetric warfare tactics and innovation,” said Cabalza, who has written about Manila’s evolving strategic stance.
The Philippines also is expanding defense partnerships, including with its longtime ally the United States, as it faces persistent coercion from Beijing in the South China Sea, a vital global trade route. China arbitrarily claims most of the resource-rich sea, ignoring an international tribunal’s 2016 ruling that invalidated the claims. Beijing deploys coast guard, navy and maritime militia vessels to harass civilian and military vessels of other claimant states, including ramming and firing water cannons at Philippine boats lawfully operating in Manila’s internationally recognized maritime zone.
Manila has signed defense cooperation agreements with nations including Germany and Japan.
Cabalza said drone coproduction with Ukraine could focus on creating systems tailored for Southeast Asia’s climate, incorporating heat-resistant batteries, corrosion-resistant casings and humidity-tolerant sensors.
As Manila implements a self-reliant defense posture and revitalizes its defense industry, “drones are force multipliers, with USVs used for internal and external security of the country,” he said. Philippine-hosted military exercises, such as the multinational Balikatan, could serve as testing grounds for Ukrainian-developed drones, including assessing interoperability with partner forces.
In July 2025, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Manila would explore deploying USVs as a temporary alternative to acquiring submarines as part of the nation’s military modernization.
During the most recent iteration of Balikatan in April 2025, Philippine and U.S. forces tested counter-drone capabilities, shooting down uncrewed systems in live-fire drills off Zambales province. At the same time, the Philippine Air Force Research and Development Center unveiled its first domestically developed armed combat drones under the nation’s self-reliant defense posture program, the Defense News website reported.
A Philippine-Ukraine coproduction partnership could send a broader strategic signal. “While Manila has championed international law and rules-based order, Ukraine has shown the world that it can [wield] its own strong and credible deterrence against a bigger neighbor,” Cabalza said.
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