"Basa air base will re-establish itself
as the paf's first line of air defense
against all threats both foreign and
domestic. Moving the FA-50s back to basa ensures
that we become the center of air defense
operations here in the philippines," he said.
"The fifth fighter wing is the PAF unit
test with fast jet operations and air
defense," he added
The first two aircraft were delivered
last NOV, while the 10 others of the PAF's 12 plane order with korea
aerospace industries will be arriving in
the country in may next year. The FA-50 PH's has a top speed of mach
1.5 or one and a half times the speed of
sound and is capable of being fitted
air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9
sidewinder air-to-air and heat-seeking
missiles aside from light automatic
cannons.
The department of defense will be
purchasing more than P100 million worth
of 20 millimeters ammunition for two of
its brand new, supersonic FA-50 lead-in
fighters from South Korea. The acquisition of 93,600 rounds of 20
millimeters ammunition is meant to make
the newest jets of the philippine air
force combat ready.
The DND has allotted P106.138 million for the purchase, which
will be sourced from the armed forces of
the philippines modernization act trust
fund.
Formerly, basa air base was the home of
the PAF's former fighter mainstays, the Vaught F-8 Crusader and Northrop F-5 tiger
before their decommissioning in 1988 and
2005 respectively. At present Basa air base is hosting the PAF's three remaining SIAI-MarchettiS.211.
So far, the focus will be the FA-50s. This will begin in the last quarter of
this year. The projected date would be sometime in
october. However these are all subject to change, Regalado said when asked when the FA-50 PH's will be transferred to basa and
weather air assets will be deployed.
The philippine government purchased 12 FA-50s for a total of P18.9 billion
during the aquino administration. It is the most advanced and
sophisticated aircraft of the PAF with
their arrival marking the country's
return to the supersonic age after
retiring its F-5 fighters in 2005.
Aside from the FA-50s, S.211 trainer
aircraft will also be housed at basa air
base. The same military air base was chosen as
one of the five locations where the u.s
is allowed to set up facilities under
the EDCA.
The other bases are the Antonio Bautista
air base in Palawan, Lumbia air base in Kage and De Oro City, Mctanbuanito Ebuen
air base in Cebu and fort Magsaysay in Nueva.
Armed forces of the philippines (AFP) chief of staff gin, Cyrillo Sobijana announced that more air
assets will be acquired to boost the
defensive capabilities of the philippine
air force.
"We will pursue the acquisition of more
modern assets such as the multi-role
fighters to beef up our air defense
capability. These shall boost the morale and welfare
of our troops because after all our
personnel is our greatest and most
valuable asset," Sobajana said in a
statement tuesday.
On monday sobajana made an official
visit to the paf's fifth fighter wing
headquarters at basa air base, pampanga
where he also joined in the FA-50 PH tactical capability demonstration flight.
The experience that i have for the past
45 minutes up in the air on our
philippine air force FA-50 PH made me
feel the significance of our air assets
in our campaign against the abu sayyaf
group, the bank's immoral freedom
fighters and other terrorists groups
that we are fighting against, he added.
The PAF's FA-50 PH aircraft stationed in
basa air base is among air assets being
utilized by the AFP in its joint air and
ground operations against local
terrorists and communist terrorist
groups. After the demonstration flight, Sobajana
was awarded the mach one plus patch by
the fifth fighter wing commander brig.
Sobijana has been visiting different
units of the afp including major service
commands to keep abreast of the status
of its personnel and ensure that their
morale and welfare are being well taken
care of.
In our pursuit of both operational
success and organizational development, we are one with every soldier, airman, sailor and marines. No one is left behind, he added.
