A handout photo from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) shows FA50 lead-in fighter jets at the Clark Air Field in Pampanga. (Philippine Air Force photo/Handout)
One of two brand new South Korean-made FA50 “Golden Eagle” lead-in fighter jet platforms of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) was rendered non-operational after its engine was hit and totally destroyed by a “bird strike”.
“It’s true, na-bird strike ‘yung isa nating FA50 at natengga na dahil totally destroyed ‘yung engine niya. Ang hindi ko lang alam kung dalawang engine o isa lang. Twin engines kasi ‘yung FA50 natin,” a former officer of PAF who asked not to be identified told InterAksyon.com.
InterAksyon.com has tried but failed to get an immediate comment from PAF spokesman Colonel Araus Robert Musico.
According to the source, the bird strike hit the FA50 jet at the PAF’s runaway at Clark Airfield in Pampanga sometime in March this year.
The incident was not reported by PAF until the information was leaked to InterAskyon.com.
“Sa ngayon, ‘yung isa na lamang na FA50 ang lumilipad dahil nga sira ang makina at hindi pa napapalitan nung isang FA50,” the source said.
Birds colliding with aircraft usually result in bird strikes, which are a natural occurrence at this time of the year.
In November 2015, the first batch of two FA50s of the total 12 units ordered by the previous Aquino administration from the Korean Aerospace Inc. (KAI) was delivered to PAF. Two more FA50s are set to arrive before the end of 2016 and the rest are arriving in 2017.
The supersonic lead-jet fighters that are yet to be armed with missiles were bought by the government for a total amount of P18.9 billion.
During the election campaign, President Rodrigo Duterte had criticized the procurement of the lead-in jets as a “waste of money”.
At present, Durterte has prioritized the procurement of naval fast-crafts and high-speed combat helicopters to first address the internal security operations especially in Mindanao where kidnapping remains a problem.
But Duterte has promised to continue the modernization efforts which were started by the previous administration.
http://interaksyon.com/article/131681/bird-strike-destroys-engine-of-pafs-brand-new-fa50-lead-in-jet
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