As the Spain is currently affected by economic downturn and financial recession, several austerity measures were taken by the Government including defence cuts which saw the flagship of the Spanish Navy, Principe de Asturias, was decommissioned from service in February 2013.

Although the decision has not been made on the former aircraft carrier’s fate, the Government has offered to interested countries in Asia as well as in the Middle East.

A delegation from the TNI-AL had visited Ferrol in late March to visit the ship and learn about its capabilities. However, the Indonesian Government has ruled out the possible purchase.

It is then reported that the Philippines is also interested in acquiring such vessel. Being an island nation means that it needs a capabilities which would would enable rapid deployment of assets and equipments relevant to humanitarian effort in times of disaster or military operation when an armed conflict had occurred. The Philippines is no stranger to aircraft carrier operations. It has been one of the important and decisive battleground between the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War 2. On of the famous naval battles that had occurred in the Philippines was the Battle of the Leyte Gulf which saw 8 US carriers being used as part of the naval task force which decimated the Japanese fleet led by a fleet carrier.

In modern context, the introduction of Chinese aircraft carrier, the Luoyang means that in order to better match the latter’s capability in terms of power projection and sovereign protection, an aircraft carrier would be a beneficial multiplying force for the Philippines. The supremacy of Chinese naval might over the South China Sea has saw the need for a well armed and modern naval forces to counter such threat.

The RTN’s aicraft carrier, HTMS Chakri Naruebet is a sister ship of the Principe de Asturias which was delivered in 1997. Nevertheless, despite the lack of STOVL element on the Thai’s aircraft carrier following the withdrawal of Boeing AV-8S Matador, the aircraft carrier proves to be vital for Thailand especially for offshore patrol and humanitarian relief assistance.

Unfortunately though, having an aircraft carrier is never cheap. Acquiring an aircraft carrier is one thing while establishing a carrier embark air group is another. Despite the planned allocation of 7.4 billion Philippines Peso as part of the country’s plan to upgrade its military for the defence of its maritime territories, these are still considered inadequate.