US-made M4 rifles could replace older weapons in Philippine reserve units

The Philippine military wants to acquire 25,000 used M4 rifles from the United States for reservists as the country strengthens its defenses amid territorial tensions with China, according to a local newspaper. Philippine air force Maj. Gen. Gerold Gagan, deputy chief of staff for reserve force development, discussed the proposed acquisition last month at a gathering of reservists in Cebu, the Philippine Star reported Monday. The Philippines is also establishing mobilization centers nationwide to improve its ability to assemble reserve troops when needed, Gagan said, according to the newspaper.

“That would be a massive force,” he said. The proposed rifle acquisition comes as Manila modernizes its military following years of confrontations with Beijing over disputed waters in the South China Sea. The U.S. government’s Excess Defense Articles, or EDA, program transfers equipment to foreign governments or international organizations, typically for modernization of partner forces, according to the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Excess defense articles are provided to a partner nation at a reduced price based on the condition of the equipment or as a grant, the agency’s website states. Philippine reservists predominantly carry M16A2 rifles, which have 20-inch barrels, Australian defense researcher Allan Orr said by email Tuesday.

The shorter M4 carbine would provide a useful upgrade for troops in the Asia-Pacific, where mud and sand can interfere with weapons, he said. “This is a solid procurement if it happens and will serve the Filipinos well,” he said. The M4 rifles could also improve reservists’ morale, although older weapons remain effective, said Grant Newsham, a senior researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo. “Don’t forget that the Viet Cong gave the Americans a hard time using old weaponry in the early days of the Vietnam War, and the Afghans also hammered the Russians in Afghanistan at the beginning using old weapons,” he said by email Tuesday.

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