Abstract of the geopolitics of the Philippine-U.S. 2014 enhanced defense cooperation agreement (edca): Projecting American airpower into the dragon’s lair

This article examines the geostrategic implications of the 2014 Philippine-U.S. Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) in terms of U.S. utilization of the five agreed locations in the Philippines. The Philippines negotiated this pact because of its limited defense capabilities and China’s heavy-handed handling of the 2012 Scarborough Shoal stand-off. The two allies discussed the terms and conditions from September 2013 to March 2014 and signed the agreement in late April 2014. In January 2016, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled in favor of the EDCA setting in motion the deployment of American forces in the Philippines. Currently, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) maintains a small contingent of aircraft and personnel in Philippine territory. This presence in five Philippine Air Force (PAF) bases marks the return of U.S. airpower which can be projected deep into China’s near sea defense zone. Only time will tell if the allies can fully develop a formidable deterrent posture to constrain China’s expansionist moves in the South China Sea. © 2016 Korea Institute for Defense Analyse