South Korea’s KAI has also announced that the Philippines has signed a contract to acquire 12 more F/A-50 Golden Eagle combat aircraft under a contract worth $700 million.
The company said that the new aircraft will be delivered by 2030 and will be fitted with an AESA radar for “significantly improved detection and strike capabilities.” The new batch of FA-50PHs will also be fitted with inflight refuelling for improved range and endurance.
The Philippine Air Force has operated the F/A-50PHs since 2017 when it took the delivery of 12 aircraft although it subsequently lost a jet in March this year when it crashed during a combat mission against insurgents in the southern part of the country.
It has used the type in combat operations including during the 2017 campaign to dislodge Islamic State-linked militants from a town in the southern part of the country.
KAI’s T-50 family, on which the FA-50 is based, has proven popular with Asian air forces, with Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand operating the type. Malaysia is set to take delivery of its first aircraft in 2026, while Iraq and Poland are also users.
The Philippines is also seeking a more advanced fighter as it bolsters its defense posture in the face of increasing tensions, which has seen clashes between its coast guard and navy with their Chinese counterparts as both countries assert their claims over disputed islands and features in the South China Sea.
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