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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'We need more': PAF keen on procuring multi-role fighters

'We need more': PAF keen on procuring multi-role fighters

Published Jun 18, 2025 01:13 pm
FA-50PH fighter aircraft (File photo: Philippine Air Force)
FA-50PH fighter aircraft (File photo: Philippine Air Force)
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said it is still pursuing the acquisition of multi-role fighter (MRF) aircraft, despite having already procured new FA-50 fighter jets earlier this month.
PAF spokesperson Colonel Ma. Consuelo Castillo said the proposed MRF acquisition, which falls under the Re-Horizon 3 modernization program, “is still pending”.
“It's still part of our plans because we still need more. Despite these 12 additional FA-50s, we would still be needing more fighter aircraft because we have a very wide archipelagic area to protect and monitor,” she said on Tuesday, June 17.
Last June 14, the Department of National Defense (DND) announced that it had issued a notice to proceed for the acquisition of 12 units of FA-50 Block 70 light combat aircraft from South Korean manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. (KAI).
The contract, signed on June 4, is worth USD700 million.
Aside from this, the PAF also forwarded a proposal to the DND for the acquisition of muti-role fighters. The budget for the program is worth P61 billion.
Among those considered are the US-made FA-16 from Lockheed Martin and the Swedish Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen.
“We only forwarded general capabilities, the general specifications. But it would be up to the Defense Department to do the actual acquisition of a specific type or model of aircraft,” Castillo said.
“Right now, we are looking at multirole fighters, definitely better capabilities than what we currently have in our inventory right now. So we're looking at longer range, better firepower among others,” she added.
Pilots ready
Meanwhile, the PAF assured that it has enough trained pilots to operate the additional FA-50s once they arrive.
The delivery of the aircraft will be carried out in phases over the next five years, with full completion targeted by 2030.
This marked the second time that the DND acquired FA-50 aircraft from KAI.
In March 2014, KAI concluded a deal with the Philippines to export 12 units of FA-50 for USD420 million or P18.9 billion. Upon delivery, the fighter jets immediately proved their worth as they were used to liberate Marawi City during the 2017 siege.
But at present, only 11 of the 12 units were operable as one of them (tail number 002) crashed in Bukidnon last March 4 during a tactical night operation in support of a Philippine Army offensive against communist rebels.
“We are going to make sure that we have enough pilots to fly those new FA-50s once they come. Aside from that, part of the package for the acquisition is a training program for pilots because of the new systems that is in place with this newer model of the FA-50,” Castillo said.
The PAF is also studying whether it needs to upgrade its current fleet of FA-50s to match the upcoming newer version of the said aircraft.
“Right now, we don't have specific details regarding that yet, the possible upgrade of the current fleet, but definitely if the time comes that we need to upgrade them, to upgrade their systems to be a par with the newer models, we're going to have those. We're going to plan for this,” Castillo shared.

Related Tags

Philippine Air Force AFP modernization program Re-Horizon 3 multi-role fighters FA-50
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