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FA-50 fighter jets (Photo: KAI) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] A South Korean-made FA-50 fighter jet belonging to the Philippine Air Force has gone missing along with its two crew members.
According to AFP and the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Philippine Air Force announced in a statement on Tuesday that communication with the FA-50 was lost just minutes before it was expected to reach its target area. The aircraft had departed from Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base near central Cebu.
Air Force spokesperson Col. Consuelo Castillo told reporters that the jet was conducting a night tactical operation in support of ground forces and was flying over land while heading toward its target. However, she did not disclose specific details of the mission.
A Philippine military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the incident occurred in the southern region of the Philippines, where military operations against communist guerrilla insurgents were ongoing.
He described this as "the first major incident involving an FA-50 squadron." FA-50 jets have been deployed for military exercises in the South China Sea, where territorial disputes with China continue.
The Philippines purchased 12 FA-50PH fighter jets, a customized version of the FA-50, from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in 2014 and has been operating them since 2015. In January, local media outlet Inquirer reported that the Philippine government was considering acquiring an additional 12 FA-50 jets.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
