Racing against time to rebuild the country’s air defense capabilities, the first lead-in supersonic fighter trainer jet acquired by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) made its first successful maiden test flight in South Korea last week.Delivery of a pair of brand-new FA-50 fighter jets by Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), a South Korean-defense supplier that bagged the country’s defense contract for a squadron of this type of fighter aircraft, is scheduled in the last quarter of this year or early next year.
The test flight of the newly manufactured FA-50 fighter aircraft was conducted on June 19 by KAI as a team of Filipino pilots is also in South Korea undergoing flight transition training in handling the jet.Defense Usec. Fernando Manalo said KAI will deliver the two aircraft by December, even as the country scrambles to rebuild its maritime and territorial defenses, given the mounting territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.Modeled after the F-16 fighter variant, FA-50 is also being viewed as a transition aircraft for the PAF, as plans are afoot for the country to acquire another squadron of more sophisticated and advanced fighter jets.
The country, through government-to-government negotiation, acquired the FA-50 from South Korea for P18.9 billion in a contract signed with KAI in March 2013.Earlier, KAI said it could deliver two of the 12 fighter jets within the first six months of next year and the succeeding deliveries, at least in pairs, in succeeding months until the squadron is completed.Manalo, however, said KAI would deliver the first two of the FA-50s at the end of this year, which would immediately go into service with the PAF.
“They will be combat and mission ready upon their arrival this December,” he said.The purchase of the 12 brand new fighter jets was the most important acquisition of the PAF from its long list of needed assets and equipment under the military’s modernization program.It was only matched by the Philippine Navy, which stands to get two frigates, possibly from South Korea, and two strategic sealift vessels (SSV) from Indonesia.The frigates and the fighter jets are seen to form the country’s top line of defense, particularly in the West Philippine Sea where the country is trying to ward off an aggressive China.
Manalo also said that they were expecting the delivery of at least two Bell combat utility helicopters this year, ahead of their first scheduled delivery.“A minimum of two and a maximum of six,” Manalo said of the delivery.The acquisition of eight combat utility helicopters from the Canadian firm with a contract price of $106.8 million was signed in March last year by Canada Commercial Corp., owner of Bell, and the Department of National Defense.The eight Bell 412EP combat utility helicopters should beef up the air power of the military.
Manalo added the Air Force should have one of its three medium lift-aircraft this year, and hopefully, would be followed by the procurement of a long-range patrol aircraft.
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