Tuesday, August 18, 2015

PAF looking for more advanced fighter aircraft

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 18): PAF looking for more advanced fighter aircraft

Despite the "air-to-air" capabilities of its South Korean-made F/A-50 "Fighting Eagle" jet aircraft, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) still has its sights on acquiring a more advanced and capable jet fighter.

This was announced by PAF chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado in an interview Monday.

"The aircraft that we’ll be getting, while it has the capability to intercept and engage in air-to-air (mission) is still a transition aircraft, and hopefully in the next few years we will come up with a more advanced aircraft," he added.

However, Delgado did not give an exact timetable on when these advanced fighter jets will be acquired.

"(There is) no schedule yet because we are taking it one step at a time considering the limitations in the our budget, the limitations in our resources, so we are taking these things one step at a time but for sure we are moving forward, we are soaring high with our development as we continue to pursue the course of the Air Force Transformation Roadmap and AFP Modernization Program," he added.

However, under its Flight Plan 2028, the PAF intends to acquire and commission 12 MRFs by 2021 to augment the then existing fleet of South Koren-made F/A-50 jet fighters.

An MRF is a combat aircraft which is capable of conducting strike, surveillance and air-to-air superiority missions.

An example of an MRF is the McDonnell Douglas F-18 "Hornet" strike fighter which is being operated by the US and its allies.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=794655

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