Duncan Looi
MALAYSIA’S first FA-50M ordered from South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has touched down in the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) Labuan Air Base. The aircraft arrived from the Philippines after leaving KAI’s Sacheon facility on October 28 ahead of the journey back to its home base of Kuantan.
The aircraft was welcomed in the skies over the air base with a formation flight comprising the FA-50M, tail number M58-01 alongside 2 each of the RMAF’s BAE Hawk 108/208, Boeing F/A-18D Hornet and Sukhoi Su-30MKMs. The welcoming ceremony was attended by Malaysia’s defence minister Khaled Nordin, RMAF Chief General Muhamad Norazlan, defence ministry secretary-general Lokman Hakim Ali alongside senior RMAF officials as well as KAI executives.
Malaysia’s FA-50M variant features significant upgrades compared to earlier FA-50 variants, equipped with RTX’s state-of-the-art PhantomStrike active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and sniper advanced targeting pod as well as a probe-and-drogue in-flight refuelling system. Furthermore, the variant is powered by GE Aerospace’s F404 engine assembled by South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace. KAI was awarded a contract worth an estimated US$920 million in 2023 for 18 units of the FA-50M as the Fighter Lead-In Trainer-Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT/LCA) under the force’s CAP55 (Capability Development 55) modernisation programme.
Speaking to the press at the event, the minister said that the second FA-50M was delayed due to a technical issue and is expected to continue its journey and arrive in Malaysia before November 1. Additionally, he stated that delivery of the 18 aircraft is scheduled to be completed in phases by March of 2028.
When asked on the possible procurement of further aircraft, the minister clarified that though plans for a second batch of FLIT/LCA aircraft is planned, the decision on either a second batch of FA-50Ms or a different type of aircraft has yet to be finalised, stating that the decision lies with the RMAF.
Earlier this week, the minister told Parliament that the first pair of FA-50Ms are expected to arrive on Oct 30 and to be operated by the RMAF’s 15th Squadron in Kuantan Air Base, though the aircraft will also be deployed to Labuan in the future. “We are acquiring 18 FA-50M aircraft from South Korea, which will be based at Kuantan Air Base, with some also slated for deployment to the Labuan Air Base to strengthen our air combat capabilities,” he said.
The FA-50Ms will replace the Hawk aircraft which is being retired from 2027 onwards to carry out the light strike role and training role while simultaneously complementing the F/A-18D Hornets as well as Su-30MKMs by delivering precision-guided munitions and stand-off weapons. On top of that, the FA-50M will also take on the training role previously held by the retired Aermacchi MB-339 trainer to facilitate training of fighter pilots.
To date, 57 core personnel have completed their training in South Korea, composed of six pilots, six engineering officers and 45 technicians who will pioneer the 15th Squadron led by Commanding Officer Major Mohd Jamil Awang.
Reported to be the world’s best-selling light attack aircraft, customers of the T-50 trainer platform and subsequent variants such as the TA-50 and FA-50 in the Asia-Pacific region include South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia being one of the newer customers. Aside from that, Iraq and Poland also operate a fleet of T-50 and FA-50s respectively.
In June 2025, KAI landed a US$700M deal from the Philippines for 12 additional FA-50PH light attack fighters, building on their initial batch of 12 FA-50s in 2014 which endured a baptism by fire, particularly during the 2017 siege of Marawi. The aircraft were described as “game changers” during the five-month battle, providing close air support (CAS) for Filipino troops on the ground against Islamic-State-linked (IS) militants. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) lost one FA-50PH in March 2025 after it crashed during a counter-insurgency mission in the southern region of the country.-–shp/adj/dl (Pix:ADJ)
