Philippines closes additional order of 12 KAI FA-50 fighters
The Philippine Air Force will have 12 more FA-50 light fighters from Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI).
The sales agreement was signed by the country’s government and the South Korean company and is valued at US$700 million, including logistical support.
The new fighters will reinforce the fleet of 11 FA-50PHs after an accident destroyed one jet earlier this year.
The new batch will have improvements such as aerial refueling capability and an AESA radar possibly supplied by Raytheon. The 12 aircraft are expected to be delivered by 2030.
A-29 and F-16
A procurement report was published by Manila in early January in which the Philippine Department of Defense included a proposal to acquire the jets.
In addition to the FA-50s, the Philippine Air Force has six A-29 Super Tucano turboprops supplied by Embraer. The country has also been linked to a recent order for six more aircraft from the Brazilian manufacturer.
In April, however, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), linked to the Pentagon, approved the sale of 20 Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighters to the Philippines in a package valued at US$5.6 billion.
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