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French air force team lands in PH for 'PEGASE' mission

Philippines | National

French air force team lands in PH for 'PEGASE' mission

By Martin Sadongdong

PEGASE PAF.jpg — A French Air and Space Force (FASF) pilot shakes hands with a Philippine Air Force (PAF) officer upon arriving at Clark Air Base in Pampanga for the PEGASE 2024 air mission on July 27, 2024. (Photo: PAF)

A 200-member detachment from the French Air and Space Force (FASF) arrived in the country for the first time as part of the Projection of a Heavy Air Package in Southeast Asia or “PEGASE” 2024 mission which is currently ongoing from July 27 to 31 at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said it participated in the PEGASE mission in a “significant step towards enhancing bilateral defense cooperation” between Manila and Paris.

“The PAF is honored to welcome the FASF for the PEGASE 2024 mission, marking a significant milestone in its journey towards strategic partnership,” said Col. Rifiel Santiago, PAF public affairs office OIC, on Monday, July 29.

“This engagement underscores the PAF’s commitment to fostering strong defense ties in the pursuit of regional security and stability,” the PAF officer noted.

The PEGASE is an annual French military mission aimed at demonstrating air power projection which has traditionally traversed the Indo-Pacific region. The French detachment dropped by in the Philippines as part of the “stopovers and air diplomacy” phase of the mission.

The FASF detachment includes two Dassault Rafale fighter jets, two A330 MRTT Phenix tanker transport aircraft, and an A400M Airbus military transport aircraft.

Beyond the static display, the visit will also include a joint photo flight and subject matter expert exchanges with PAF, focusing on cargo and aircraft engineering.

“These collaborative efforts will deepen cooperation and knowledge sharing between the two air forces,” Santiago said.

Related Tags

PH-France ties PAF PEGASE mission

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