Philippines Goes For 12 More FA-50 Fighters
SOUTH Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has landed a US$700 million deal from the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) for 12 additional FA-50PH light attack fighters. The deal builds on the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) initial order of 12 FA-50s in 2014, performing well in combat missions over the years including the FA-50PH’s baptism of fire in multiple close air support (CAS) missions and credited as the “game changer” of the Marawi campaign.
On March 4, a PAF FA-50PH crashed just after midnight in a mountainous region of Southern Philippines while supporting ground troops together with other PAF aircraft. The wreckage was found in the jungles of Mount Kalatungan in Bukidnon with its two pilots killed. The incident led to the grounding of the PAF’s remaining 11 FA-50s, which was lifted on April 25 .
A PAF statement after the investigation was completed said, “The thorough investigation points to a confluence of factors including the inherent risk of night flying mountainous terrain combined with the complexity of multi-aircraft combat operations. What is important is the PAF recognises that we need to improve on our safety protocols. At the same time, look at the different aspects from mission planning, preparation, at the same time the way we execute using our tactics, techniques, and procedures.”
Aside from serving in the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), KAI’s FA-50 which comes in an advanced trainer version dubbed the T-50 and the FA-50 light fighter variant. Both variants have been exported to several countries to date, including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland and Iraq.–shp/adj/dl (Pix:PAF)
