By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said Thursday its FA-50PH fleet would take part in aerial exercises with the Americans under “Cope Thunder Philippines 2025-1,” scheduled on April 7-18.
In an interview, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo confirmed that the FA-50PH fighter jets would participate in the drills now that the fleet has been placed under operational status after the lifting of its grounding order on March 25.
“That’s the plan. Cope Thunder (Philippines 2025-1) will be running from April 7 until the 18th and isa sa mga fleet na magpa-participate is yung FA-50 natin (and one of the fleets that would participate are the FA-50s),” she added.
The opening ceremony for Cope Thunder Philippines 2025-1 is scheduled at Clark Air Base in Mabalacat, Pampanga.
However, Castillo did not give the exact number of FA-50PH fighter jets that would join the 11-day exercise.
Eleven FA-50PH fighter jets remain in the PAF inventory following the crash of a similar aircraft last month.
“I cannot give the exact numbers as of now (as) what (we can) commit to this training will depend (on the existing) operational requirements (for) our maritime patrols,” Castillo said.
She added that the US participants in the exercise, the Pacific Air Forces, have yet to give the number of their aircraft that would take part in the exercises.
She said they would conduct a “meeting coverage” with their US counterparts, after which she would give more details.
‘Balikatan’ exercises
In a related development, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said equipment acquired in the military’s ongoing modernization program would be used in this year’s “Balikatan” exercise.
In an interview with PTV-4’s “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon,” Padilla highlighted the need to test the equipment during exercises to train military personnel how to handle these platforms in the field.
“Kailangan marunong tayo paano siya gamitin in actuality (We need to know how to use them in actuality),” she added.
Padilla, however, did not give details on what weaponry the Filipino military would field in this year’s “Balikatan,” scheduled from late April to mid-May. (PNA)
