PAF F-50 // Phl Going Back to Supersonic Age

From DWDD AFP Civil Relations Service Radio Website (Nov 28): PAF F-50 // Phl Going Back to Supersonic Age

CLARK AIR BASE, Pampanga (DWDD) - The first two FA-50 Philippine fighting eagles touched down on Philippine soil as part of the Philippine Air Force’s efforts to modernize its aircraft.



The lead-in fighter trainer jets from the Korea Aerospace Industries worth P18.9 billion arrived at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga and it’s a comeback to supersonic jet age for the Air Force.

FS 50 inspected by BGEN Reyes AFP

According to Air Force spokesperson, Col. Enrico Canaya, the Philippine skies will once again hear the Sonic Boom while our very own fighter pilots break the sound barrier and this is the first time that we will have supersonic capability since 2005 when our jets were decommissioned.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin led the welcome arrival of the jets, along with the PAF commanding general, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado.



The rest of the fighter trainer jets are set to be delivered by 2017 and is said to be the biggest military upgrade so far undertaken by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The FA-50 has a top speed of Mach 1.5, or one and a half times the speed of sound. It can be fitted with air-to-air missiles, heat-seeking missiles, and light automatic cannons. It can carry two pilots in tandem seating while its airframe can withstand 8,000 hours of service. The canopy has ballistic protection against four-pound objects impacting at 400 knots. AES / MCAG / Photos by Josephine Jaron

http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/paf-f-50-phl-going-back-to-supersonic-age/