On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, the Philippine Department of Defense announced a plan to purchase 12 FA-50PH Fighting Eagle light combat aircraft in the Block 20 variant, which will join the same number of units already in service. The contract negotiation phase with the South Korean company Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is currently underway, with the agreement expected to be signed in the first half of this year.
Photo: Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas
The purchase is estimated by the Philippine side at 681 million USD and will be carried out under the Re-Horizon 3 modernization program. Additionally, a modernization of the already existing aircraft is planned through four procurement processes worth approximately 5.612 billion PHP, taking into account the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
The first 12 FA-50PH aircraft in the Block 10 variant were selected by the Philippines in August 2012, and the contract was signed on March 28, 2014, with a total value of 420 million USD. The first aircraft conducted its maiden flight in June 2015 and was delivered to the customer on November 27 of the same year. Deliveries of all ordered units were completed on May 31, 2017.
In the Philippine Air Force (Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas), the FA-50PH aircraft serve as light attack aircraft and for tactical combat training (Lead-in Fighter Trainer, LiFT).
Interestingly, the simultaneous announcement also included the purchase of an additional six Brazilian Embraer A-29B Super Tucano attack aircraft, bringing the total to match the number already in service.
KAI has produced 219 aircraft from the T-50/T-50B/TA-50/FA-50 family, which have been delivered to the air forces of five countries, including Indonesia (14 T-50i + 8 ordered), Iraq (24 T-50IQ), the Philippines (12 FA-50PH), Poland (12 FA-50GF Block 10 and 36 FA-50PL Block 20 ordered; first flight scheduled for 2025), and Thailand (14 T-50TH + 2 ordered). The majority—143 units—serve in South Korea’s armed forces.
Currently, orders have been placed for an additional 83 aircraft, including for Malaysia (18 FA-50M Block 20 ordered). Potential but unrealized users include Argentina, Uzbekistan, Israel, and Taiwan. According to information from the end of 2023, KAI was offering the aircraft in Colombia and on an undisclosed market—possibly Peru, which, as of July 1, 2024, is reportedly negotiating the purchase of 20 to 24 units. Ireland has also expressed interest, despite not having a combat air force, but has been considering its establishment since 2020.
Regarding the FA-50 Block 20, the manufacturer offers a new AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar called the ESR-500A, which began flight testing in December of last year in the Netherlands.
An alternative is the American PhantomStrike radar, offered by RTX Corporation and selected by Poland for its FA-50PL. Interestingly, according to information released last week, the PhantomStrike radar is also set to be installed on the Philippine aircraft.
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