Filipino FA-50PH "Fighting Eagle" pilots will get
a chance to test their mettle as they will fly against their US Air Force
counterparts in this year's "Balikatan" exercises.
Training will focus on air intercept, interdiction and
close-air support, said PAF spokesperson Col. Enrico Canaya Thursday.
American aircraft to participate in this year's
"Balikatan" exercise include the US Air Force's Fairchild Republic
A-10 "Thunderbolt" ground attack aircraft and leased Hawker Hunter
jet fighters.
The A-10 is the American Air Force's premier ground attack
aircraft. It is equipped with a 30-mm automatic cannon which can vaporized most
battle tanks and can carry a variety of bombs and missiles for interdiction
work.
The US Air Force is known to lease privately-owned aircraft,
including Hawker Hunter jets, for aggressor training.
Aside from the FA-50PHs, the subsonic SIAI-Marchetti S-211
jet trainers will be also participating in the aerial phase of the
"Balikatan" exercises.
Prior the air maneuvers, Canaya said participating pilots
from both sides will first attend the theoretical or classroom aspect before
actual air maneuvers first week April.
Canaya declined to comment on where the air phase of
"Balikatan" will take place but said this could take place over the
skies of Northern Luzon as the Philippines has several military training
facilities in the area.
"But they ('Balikatan' planners) have the discretion to
decide on where the actual air exercises will take place," he added.
Canaya said having the PAF's FA-50PHs participate in the
"Balikatan" exercise is a good opportunity as it will enhance the
capability of Filipino fighter pilots.
"This will further increase our training experience,
this is a good development on our side," he added.
This is the first time the PAF will be fielding supersonic
aircraft to the "Balikatan" exercises since the decommissioning of
its Northrop F-5 "Tiger" jet fighter fleet in 2005.
Prior the delivery of the first two FA-50PHs last Nov. 28,
2015, PAF presence in "Balikatan" air maneuvers consist of its
sub-sonic Marchetti-SIAI S-211 jet trainers along with its Rockwell OV-10
"Bronco" attack aircraft and various models of the UH-IH
"Huey" combat utility helicopters and MG-520 attack choppers.
The Philippines
Opening ceremonies for "Balikatan 2016" are slated
for April 4, followed by several training events throughout the 12-day exercise
while closing ceremony is scheduled to be held April 15, said "Balikatan
2016" spokesperson Capt. Celeste Frank Sayson.
"Balikatan' is an annual Philippine-US military
bilateral training exercise that is a signature element of the
Filipino-American alliance focused on a variety of missions to include
humanitarian assistance, maritime law enforcement, and environmental protection.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=867598
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