An FA-50 fighter jet of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) was reported missing this morning while conducting a tactical night operation. Currently, its two pilots have not been found, and the military's search and rescue operation is in full swing. According to the PAF spokesperson, this is the first serious incident involving an FA-50 jet in the Philippines.
In the official statement of the Philippine Air Force today, the said FA-50 lost communication a few minutes before it reached the target area. Other accompanying jets attempted to re-contact the missing plane before returning to Benito N. Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu, but were unsuccessful.
According to PAF spokesperson Maria Consuelo Castillo, such tactical night operation is part of supporting the ground forces. It was also confirmed that the FA-50 was in the air over the land when it lost contact.
Currently, the Philippine Air Force has one squadron of FA-50 fighter jets. In January of this year, the Department of National Defense (DND) announced plans to purchase an additional 12 FA-50s from South Korea worth approximately ₱382 billion (based on the current dollar to peso exchange rate).
A massive search and rescue operation continues to determine the whereabouts of the missing plane and its pilots.
