- Two FA-50 fighter jets escort Pres. Aquino’s flight as it enters the country’s airspace
- It is the first time PAF planes get to play the role of escorting the commander-in-chief since 2005
- The fighter jets were the first two units delivered in November last year from South Korea
- Sources say the delegation onboard the president’s filght were ‘swelling with pride’
MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno ‘Pnoy’ Aquino III’s plane was escorted by two FA-50 fighter jets from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as it entered the country’s airspace coming from an official trip to the United States on Friday, February 19.
The FA-50’s were the first two of the 12 units acquired by the Philippine military from South Korea as part of the country’s armed forces modernization program initiated by the present administration.
The lead-in trainer jets arrived in November last year.
It was the first time the PAF played a similar role for the country’s commander-in-chief since 2005. The PAF F-5s that were used then has since been decommissioned.
Aquino was aboard the PR-001 along with other members of the delegation that attended the US-ASEAN summit in California early this week.
His flight was joined by the two FA-50s flown by fighter pilots from PAF’s Air Defense Wing over Polillo Island in Quezon province.
A source told Inquirer that everyone aboard the president’s flight were ‘swelling with pride’ as they looked out the window; Aquino included.
Pres. Aquino inspecting the FA-50s in South Korea (Credit: ANC)
The Philipine Airlines (PAL) Airbus 343 carrying the president were escorted until the plane made landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday morning; a text message from Presidential Communications Secretary Heminio Coloma confirmed to reporters.
“The jets took off from Clark Field Air Base. They made contact with the president’s flight at 6:37 am which eventually landed at 7:05 am,” the Palace official’s text message read.
The FA-50 is described as ‘a light attack variant of the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer aircraft jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).’
It has a top speed of Mach 1.5 and can be fitted with air-to-air missiles, heat-seeking missiles, and light automatic cannons.
The rest of the dozen-unit is expected to be delivered in 2017.
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