Free Republic

The newly elected president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has been throwing shade on his country’s recently-acquired—and only—fighter jets, the South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle. “We only have what, two FA-50s? Why did you buy that?” he remarked [3] in June this year. “What a waste of money. You cannot use them for anti-insurgency, which is the problem at the moment. You can only use these for ceremonial fly-by.” (The Philippine Air Force will have 12 of the supersonic fighters by 2017.) He added: “There’s only one purpose for buying it. To match the airpower . . . At least...

The military is planning to utilize its newly acquired FA-50 fighter jets in several air bases in the country in a bid to bring back the “supersonic jet age” of the Philippine Air Force (PAF). Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said they are eyeing air bases in Pampanga, Zambales and Palawan where the new FA-50 lead-in fighter trainer jets from South Korea will be making their home. These are the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga, in Subic Bay, Zambales, and the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Two FA-50 lead-in fighter trainer jets bought from the Korea...

SEOUL, Oct. 22 (Yonhap) -- The military is reviewing whether it is possible to arm its FA-50 light combat fighters with a new variant of the Taurus air-to-surface missile to enhance combat capabilities, a military official said Thursday. Europe-based Taurus Systems is now developing a new version of the Taurus missile, numbered 350K-2, for possible use for the Air Force and the Army, the official said. The target specifications for the new variant under development are a range of 400 kilometers and a cruise speed of Mach 0.6~0.9, according to the official. The original version, the Taurus KEPD 350, has...

Precision weapons and networked targeting have helped maintain America’s military superiority for decades. But technology marches on. New defense exporters are joining the global game with advanced and well-priced offerings, creating potential threats to the U.S. and its allies, and weakening Western influence. The Pentagon has a plan to cope with these evolving threats, but is it enough? To understand what’s happening, consider the global automotive industry. South Korea’s Hyundai Motors became a serious global competitor by leveraging the rapid diffusion of technology, an initial edge in cheap labor, and a “good enough” product for value buyers. Their success wasn’t...

Philippine President Benigno Aquino has approved a payment plan to acquire 12 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 light combat aircraft, a local media outlet said, Friday. The nation’s lone airplane manufacturer also confirmed the report. KAI has teamed up with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) to sell the aircraft through a government-to-government program, estimated at $420 million (451 billion won). According to the report by the Star, the Philippines’ defense department is seeking to complete negotiations with KAI within the week. “We have sights on finalizing the contract by the end of March,”...

There is a resurgence in interest in South Korea's fighter aircraft requirements, with the east Asian country deciding on a variety of aircraft as part of an ongoing modernisation of its air force's capabilities. The choices represent a mix of imported and indigenous solutions, with the country trying to find a way to match its operational requirements with a desire to promote the local industry, mainly state-owned Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). South Korea has maintained three levels of fighters - low, medium and high - as part of its operational capability. At the low level are Northrop F-5s, at the...