Twelve surface attack aircraft lead-in fighters or TA-50s
from South Korea
are expected to be delivered by 2013.
Each jet costs P1.25 billion for a total of P25 billion for
the dozen jets.
The TA-50 is a supersonic aircraft that requires more
experienced pilots.
Authorities said bulk of the P70 billion allocated for the
modernization of the Armed Forces under the Aquino administration will go to
the Air Force.
“Dati hindi natin pinapansin ang territorial defense dahil
wala nga tayong capability gaya
ngayon. ‘Yung bangka ‘yung atin, ‘yung
kalaban natin napakalaking platform. Ngayon, tumaas ang rating ng problema
natin sa territorial defense. Hindi pala natin pwedeng isantabi,” said Defense
Sec. Voltaire Gazmin.
The Air Force currently has two trainer jets, which are now
nearly 25 years old.
The S-211s were originally meant for training purposes but
the military was forced to use them in actual operations.
The PAF admits that this is the current image of the air
power of the Philippines,
which has been left behind by its neighbors.
The country's lone fighter jet, an F-5, was sidelined in
2005 and has yet to be replaced.
“At that time, the leadership decided that we didn’t need
this because there's no threat in that area kaya nag-concentrate tayo sa mga
ginagamit nating aircraft para sa internal security operations,” said Col.
Miguel Ernesto Okol, spokesman of the PAF.
But the current tensions at the Scarborough Shoal have
placed a spotlight on the country's air inferiority.
Last week, a suspected Chinese fighter jet flew over the
disputed shoal.
Gazmin says President Aquino is serious in beefing up the
military so as not to be ignored by foreign powers
I hope it is possible for the Philippines Government to initially lease at least 6 to 8 units of this TA-50 or FA-50 from South Korea and then pay them in full within 1 or 2 years.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, after one or two years time the delivery to form one or two squadron will be completed. Para hindi naman nasasayang ang mga oras at panahon. Tapos malamang na magdalawang isip na ang China to bully us within our EEZ.
This way Filipino fighter jet pilots will have the opportunity and ample time now flying these fighter jets.
I am sure this can be arranged. Most of South Koreans are good people and they will help their Filipino Christian brothers. We can also ask USA government to allow us to lease their warships, even their coast guard new class cutter Bertholf maybe initially 1 or 2 each then later after 1 or 2 years we will pay them in full.
God bless the Philippines.