Two more FA-50 jets arriving this month

March 17, 2017

The seventh and eighth units of FA-50 fighter trainer aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) are set to arrive before the end of March. Colonel Antonio Francisco, Philippine Air Force spokesman,  said the FA-50s aircraft with tail number 007 and 008 are set to arrive in Clark Airbase, Pampanga from South Korea on March 29, 2017. Francisco said the fighter jets will boost air power and capabilities, including training of their personnel. "The planes will also help boost training capabilities of our pilots. It will also be used for training purposes so that our pilots will acquire more skills in flying fighter jets or supersonic jets," he said. It can be recalled the fifth and sixth units of FA-50 arrived in the country early this month. Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the use of all military assets, including  Philippine Air Force jets against the New People's Army (NPA) following the brutal killing of four policemen who were ambushed by rebels in Davao del Sur. Aside from training and familiarization flights, the military is using FA-50 aircraft in its operation against the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao. The government has spent a total of 18.9 billion pesos for the acquisition of 12 FA-50 fighter aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the first batch of which were delivered on November 2015. The second batch arrived on November of 2016 and the third batch was delivered last March 3, 2017. Francisco said the remaining six units will be delivered within the year. (Robina Asido/DMS)