The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is planning to buy more FA-50s to be used as training aircraft for their pilots; this was according to a top military official as the country commemorates its 124th Independence Day last June 12.
The FA-50 fighter jets were among the more than 30 Air Force assets that conducted high-speed opener pass over Luneta on Sunday to honor our independence day.
PAF chief Lt. Gen. Connor Anthony Canlas Sr. told reporters they are looking at the more advanced version of the Mach 1.5 capable FA-50 light combat aircraft the Philippines earlier acquired from South Korea.
“Yes, it is an option. The FA-50s is a good lead-in trainer fighter aircraft na rin, halos multi-role, pwede siyang mag-air-to- or air-to-air. It provides a good training opportunity for the pilots to step up to higher performance aircraft,” said Gen. Canlas.
Currently, the PAF has in its fleet 12 units of FA-50s it bought from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for P18.9-B in 2015; delivery of which was completed in 2017.
In September 2021, two of these FA-50s were used to intercept an unidentified aircraft that flew into the country’s airspace – the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone – approximately 120 nautical miles northwest of Bolinao town in Pangasinan.
The unknown aircraft eventually changed direction towards the north, the PAF said in a statement, and increased its speed to 400 knots as it veered away from the Philippine airspace, thereby causing the Air Force to terminate its intercept several minutes after receiving the signal.
It was also the same aircraft used by the PAF during its joint exercises with US counterpart in Northern Luzon in March this year.
The fighter jets, now called FA-50PH, are now being used by PAF for its 5th Fighter Wing.
The FA-50PH first saw action during the Marawi siege in May 2017 where it was used mainly for close-air support mission roles.
It can reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.5 and can be fitted with air-to-air and heat-seeking missiles a as well as light automatic cannons and bombs.