#fa50ph

It costs Usd 2.27 million or Php 132.7 million per Year to maintain each FA-50PH Aircraft, and it's not even a true MRF yet

The Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Company recently announced that they secured an approximately Usd 75 million Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) Contract for the FA-50PH Fighting Eagle Aircraft they made and delivered to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The Contract will be good for three Years, from 2026 to 2028 and will cover Logistics Support to ensure that the FA-50PH Fleet will have stable Operations and High Availability Rates. Assuming an Exchange Rate of 58.44 Philippine Pesos per United States (US) Dollar, then the Contract is worth 4.38 billion Pesos.

MY THOUGHTS:

Since the Contract is for three Years, then that means around Usd 25 million or Php 1.46 billion per Year to maintain the PAF’s entire, current FA-50PH Fleet. Since there are only 11 Aircraft to maintain for now, that boils down to Usd 2.27 million or 132.7 million for each FA-50PH per Year.

The Reports did not mention any Guaranteed Flight Hours (FH) per Airframe, but I think that there is, or at least there should be, and the number of FHs should be around at least 400 so it will match with the expected Cost per FH of the FA-50PH.

The North American Treaty Organization (NATO) Standard of FH per Year to maintain the Pilot’s Proficiency is I think around 180 if I remember it correctly, so 400 FH per Year per Aircraft means we can maintain around four Pilots per Aircraft per Year to NATO Pilot Proficiency Standards.

That’s four Pilots since the FA-50 seats two Pilots per Aircraft. This Contract illustrates how expensive it is to maintain Military Equipment, and with a dozen more FA-50s coming in, then expect that Cost per Year to double.

Also remember that the FA-50s are not “True” Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) Aircraft yet, MRFs are heavier, more sophisticated and thus even a lot more expensive to maintain properly per Year.

I just noticed one some of the Pictures being shown of the FA-50PH Fighting Eagle Aircraft of the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron nicknamed the “Bulldogs” of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) has what looks like either Bomb or Drop Tank Markings on its Nose Cone.

Not sure what this means, but whatever it is, it should be a Significant Achievement of the Airframe. If those Markings represent Drop Tanks, I think that they Symbolically mean the Number of Actual Combat Missions the Aircraft has undertaken.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that the Aircraft dropped a Drop Tank for each of those Missions, its just a Representation of those Missions.

Now if the Markings are Bombs instead, then I noticed that they are Conventional Bombs, but could represent the Number of both Conventional and Guided Bombs it has dropped so far. Whatever it is, I hope the PAF clarifies it soon, because it does indicate a very interesting Record of Achievement by this Particular Airframe.

I can’t see the Aircraft Number on these Photos, but based on the other accompanying Photos, it seems to be the one with the Airframe Number “012”.

SOURCES:

5th Fighter Wing Facebook Page Post, 07/22/25 - 2052H {Archived Link}

Just some nice Pictures of the FA-50PH Fighting Eagle Aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) conducting an Aerial Patrol over the 'Talampas ng Pilipinas' (Philippine Rise) in celebration of 8th Anniversary of it being renamed from "Benham Rise".

You can access the original Photos on the Facebook Page of the “5th Fighter Wing, Air Defense Command” here: https://web.facebook.com/5thFighterWingPAF/posts/pfbid037Au2w9zor2R8PmW11BPVikPpMzesZ5PcG4s2pGrP8DiNjUwaqkGQwYgpL1ZhdXJil

MY THOUGHTS: Did anybody notice that, EIGHT full Years after it was renamed, the Philippines still has not done any Deep Sea Mining Activities in the Area at all? All these Years I thought the United States (US) or its Allies would help the Philippines explore and mine that Area, but NO, NOTHING up to now.

Meanwhile, every time a Chinese Survey Vessel happens to pass by there, they suddenly make a lot of Noise about it, which is absolutely ridiculous, considering that we have not done anything in the Area ourselves, it is just being completely WASTED …

The Spokesperson of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Colonel Maria Consuelo Castillo said during a Press Briefing recently at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City that their Comprehensive Inspection of the Fleet of FA-50PH Fighting Eagle Aircraft is almost complete, and that they may lift the Order grounding the Aircraft as soon as this Week.

The remaining 11 FA-50PH Aircraft were grounded last March 5, 2025 after the Tragic Crash of one of the Aircraft in Bukidnon where its two PAF Pilots died.

On a related Note, the PAF and the United States Air Force (USAF) is set to conduct the first Part of their annual Military Exercise in Northern Luzon next Month from April 7 to 18, 2025 which will be called "Cope Thunder PH 25-1".

MY NOTES: It looks like the PAF won’t wait anymore for the result of the Investigation of Crash in Bukidnon before reactivating their FA-50PH Aircraft so they can join in the upcoming Exercise with the United States (US).

That is not such a bad Thing as the FA-50PH Aircraft are our most capable Aircraft at the Moment, so they want to take Advantage of a relatively rare Exercise to further hone their Capabilities. Plus the US of course is spending a lot of Money to mobilize their Assets for the Exercise.

SOURCES:

Grounding order for Fighter Jet Fleet may be lifted this Week {Archived Link}

The Spokesperson of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) Colonel Maria Consuelo Castillo recently said that a Proposal to acquire an additional 12 FA-50PH Fighting Eagle Aircraft from South Korea (SK) has now been submitted to the Department of National Defense (DND).

Col. Consuelo said that this acquisition will enhance the Philippines' Defense Capability, and boost the Military Intelligence, Area Denial and Deterrence Capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), but that it will still be up to the DND if the Proposal will be approved.

MY NOTES: This official Proposal is very good News indeed, but the timing of the announcement is Way off because of the recent Tragedy involving the FA-50PH. Definitely no Contract could or should be signed until the Result of the official Investigation to the Tragedy has come out.

And even then, it also depends on what the Result of the Investigation is, if there is some Issue involving the Aircraft is found out, then that should Delay or even Cancel further acquisition of the Aircraft, although I don’t think anything is wrong with the Aircraft despite this Tragic Incident.

Here is the Link to the Article on the “Philippine News Agency (PNA)” Website: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1245519

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) recently announced that the S-211 Basic Jet Trainer (BJT) Aircraft will temporarily take the Place of the FA-50PH Fighting Eagle Aircraft for Maritime Patrols, this after the remaining 11 FA-50PH Aircraft were grounded pending the Result of the Investigation into the Crash of one them into Mount Kalatungan in Bukidnon recently.

MY NOTES: So the S-211 is back to being our Main Combat Aircraft for now, hopefully only temporarily. Remember that it served that Role for around a Decade, from 2005 when the PAF retired its F-5 Freedom Fighter Aircraft until 2015, when the first FA-50PH Aircraft started its Service in the Philippines.

The last time I checked a Year or so ago, there were only no more than five S-211s in Service with the PAF. We actually have the A-29B Super Tucano that can also serve the Maritime Patrol Role, but they may already be doing that, and of course the S-211 is faster in Terms of Speed.

This is why I think we really should pick a good, more Combat-capable replacement for the S-211 because there are times like these when the FA-50PH are grounded, and they end up picking the role in their Place.

The S-211 Replacement could also serve as Force Multipliers, serving as supplementary Combat Aircraft in times of War.

Here is the Link to the News Article at the “Daily Tribune” Website: https://tribune.net.ph/2025/03/05/pafs-remaining-s-211-jets-to-be-used-for-maritime-patrols

Oh my gad, what a Twist, as if this whole crash of the FA-50PH Fighting Eagle Aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) wasn’t Tragic enough. It turns out that one of Crew of the Aircraft, First Lieutenant April John Dadulla, was himself from Bukidnon.

One of the Sons that the Province of Bukidnon is proudest of who became one of the Pilots of our most capable Aircraft as of now, ironically passed away on the very same Province he was born in. And on top of that, what’s even worse was that he was supposed to be wed to a fellow Fighter Pilot of his in around ten Days time until the Tragedy happened.

He was only 29 Years old. My Condolences to the Families of the two Airmen, and may they Rest in Peace. Thank you for all your invaluable Contributions to our Country.

Here is the Link to the “Newsline Philippines” Website: https://newsline.ph/love-cut-short-fallen-fighter-pilot-was-days-away-from-wedding/

Very sad News today as the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) just confirmed that the search for the FA-50PH Fighting Eagle Aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and its Crew is over, both have been found on Mount Kalatungan in Bukidnon.

The Aircraft was found approximately at 11:00 am today, Wednesday, March 5, 2025, by the Search and Rescue Teams, and it was a total Wreck. The Crew unfortunatley did not survive the Crash, and were found to be still inside the Aircraft.

The Personal Locators of the Aircraft were activated, and helped in locating the Wreckage and Bodies. All PAF FA-50PH Aircraft has been grounded for now as a Precautionary Measure.

MY NOTES: It looks like the Crew didn’t even get the chance to eject from the Aircraft for some Reason, which is very sad, indeed. If they did, they likely would’ve survived the Incident. Mt. Kalatungan is one of the Twin Peaks which are virtually side by side in Bukidnon, it is 2.88 km tall.

This is the first Crash of the FA-50PH since the first of its Aircraft started serving with the PAF in 2015, so now there are only 11 Aircraft left with the PAF.

Here is the Link to the Article at the “Manila Standard”: https://manilastandard.net/news/314564899/missing-pilots-from-ill-fated-jet-found-dead-in-bukidnon-eastmincom.html