PAF to Acquire Fighter Jets from Korea

**Altis6453** · June 19th, 2012 10:55 PM

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said they will be acquiring fighter jets in the next two years.

Twelve surface attack aircraft lead-in fighters or TA-50s from South Korea are expected to be delivered by 2013.

Each jet costs P1.25 billion for a total of P25 billion for the dozen jets.

The TA-50 is a supersonic aircraft that requires more experienced pilots.

Authorities said bulk of the P70 billion allocated for the modernization of the Armed Forces under the Aquino administration will go to the Air Force.

“Dati hindi natin pinapansin ang territorial defense dahil wala nga tayong capability gaya ngayon. ‘Yung* bangka ‘yung atin, ‘yung kalaban natin napakalaking platform. Ngayon, tumaas ang rating ng problema natin sa territorial defense. Hindi pala natin pwedeng isantabi,” said Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin.

The Air Force currently has two trainer jets, which are now nearly 25 years old.

The S-211s were originally meant for training purposes but the military was forced to use them in actual operations.

The PAF admits that this is the current image of the air power of the Philippines, which has been left behind by its neighbors.

The country's lone fighter jet, an F-5, was sidelined in 2005 and has yet to be replaced.

“At that time, the leadership decided that we didn’t need this because there's no threat in that area kaya nag-concentrate tayo sa mga ginagamit nating aircraft para sa internal security operations,” said Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol, spokesman of the PAF.

But the current tensions at the Scarborough Shoal have placed a spotlight on the country's air inferiority.

Last week, a suspected Chinese fighter jet flew over the disputed shoal.

Gazmin says President Aquino is serious in beefing up the military so as not to be ignored by foreign powers. -- Reports from Anthony Taberna, ABS-CBN News; ANC

Finally, baby steps towards a modernized air force!

**Monseratto** · June 19th, 2012 11:16 PM

Best choice! Salamat kay Grace Lee...

**Altis6453** · June 19th, 2012 11:27 PM

^Nice find, bro.

The plane looks a lot like an F16, except that the intakes are located at the sides of the fuselage.

**chua_riwap** · June 19th, 2012 11:44 PM

so,noong term nila ramos, gma, wala palang threats, kaya di nila naisip bumili nyan.

nice. at least sa term ni Pnoy, natupad na pangarap ng PAF.
imagine, iisa lang ang F5 nasira pa......

**SiRbossR** · June 19th, 2012 11:52 PM

I'm scared and wondering if they will also upgrade and re-train the maintenance team that will handle these aircrafts.

**frenchtower** · June 20th, 2012 04:56 AM

What about armaments? Maybe a couple of surface-to-air missle placements?

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**jdee12** · June 20th, 2012 06:55 AM

Sana i train din yung maintenance team pati yung mga avionics specialist sa Korea.

OT: ilang flight hours kaya required para makapag palipad niyan? :D

**jick.cejoco** · June 20th, 2012 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by Altis6453

Finally, baby steps towards a modernized air force!

has the PAF considered the japanese version of the u.s. f 16, the f2 which has been flying from japan to guam or maybe even hawaii? the platform are similar and so are the capabilities and fitments that of the f 16

**Altis6453** · June 20th, 2012 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by jick.cejoco

has the PAF considered the japanese version of the u.s. f 16, the f2 which has been flying from japan to guam or maybe even hawaii? the platform are similar and so are the capabilities and fitments that of the f 16

Probably not since the PAF acquisition called for lead-in fighter trainers (LIFTs). Note also that the acquisition cost of a Mitsubishi F2 fighter is four times the cost of a (Block 52) F16 Falcon, or about US$110 Million apiece. Production of the F2 ended in September 2011 and no example was ever exported or delivered outside of Japan.