A model of the FA50 jet fighter of South Korea is seen in the 2012 Air Power symposium
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is closely following developments in the crash investigation of the T-50B lead-in jet fighter that killed two pilots recently, in light of earlier plans to work out with the same manufacturer the purchase of a dozen FA50 jet fighters with the same platform as the T-50B, for P18.9 billion.
The aircraft is billed in one article that reported the crash as “South Korea’s first indigenous supersonic aircraft jointly developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin.”
It also said the crash Wednesday last week off southwestern Gwanju City was the second one involving said aircraft. In November 2012, a T-50 crashed “into a mountain…killing a pilot,” added the article.
A representative from KAI met some officials of the Department of National Defense last Friday, sources said.
Meanwhile, PAF spokesman Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said the command had learned that the Air Force of the Republic of Korea (ROK) was also doing a parallel probe.
KAI is reportedly attributing the crash to “pilot error”.
Okol said the latest crash “is still under investigation of the ROKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force).”
On PAF’s plan to acquire the FA50, Okol said this is among the issues to be "taken up with the manufacturer" and that officials will make sure "that all issues [are] resolved should we proceed with the planned acquisition.”
Indonesia reportedly ordered 16 T-50s in 2011; and that Seoul is also pursuing a contract from Iraq.
Meanwhile, the DND has not indicated if President Benigno Aquino III will approve the contract to acquire the FA50, for which P18.9 billion is being set aside for 12 units.
The money will be sourced from the P75 billion approved by President Aquino for the upgrade of the Armed Forces' capability for territorial defense.
Certain defense and military experts had earlier doubted if the FA50 is the best option for PAF in terms of territorial defense.
It will be recalled that in his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July, Mr. Aquino criticized the decision of military officials to acquire, for P2.8-billion, eight brand-new Sokol combat utility helicopters from Poland's PZL Swidnik. Such aircraft, said Mr. Aquino, are not really fitted as combat helicopters.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/69819/second-crash-has-paf-rethinking-p18-9-b-korean-fa50-jet-option
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