By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday confirmed that one of its 12 FA-50PH fighter jets was reported missing during a “tactical night operation”.
“A major development in the PAF. Shortly after midnight on March 4, 2025, an FA-50 fighter jet went missing during a tactical night operation. The aircraft lost communication with the rest of the flight involved in the mission minutes before reaching the target area,” Air Force spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
She added that another FA-50PH tried to reestablish contact with the missing aircraft until their return to Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu, to no avail.
“The PAF is conducting extensive and thorough search operations, utilizing all available resources to locate the missing jet fighter aircraft. Our primary concern right now is the safe return of our aircrew. We are hopeful of locating them and the aircraft soon and ask you to join us in prayer during this critical time. Further details will be provided once they are available,” Castillo said.
No other details were provided to ensure the security of the ongoing search and possible recovery operations.
Castillo also said the missing FA-50PH has a crew of two pilots.
Around 12 units were acquired from South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries for PHP18.9 billion. These were delivered from 2015 to 2017.
“Yes, this is the first major incident involving our fighter aircraft. Currently, we cannot yet disclose the tail number of the aircraft,” Castillo said.
She added that the pilots are equipped with personal locator beacons, which emit signals and could aid rescue units in their recovery or rescue.
Castillo, however, did not give more details when asked if these locators are emitting signals right now.
She said the FA-50PH is also fitted with a “black box” that could help investigators in determining the exact cause of the incident.
Castillo said the aircraft was tasked to provide “regular support” to ongoing operations of Unified Commands.
The FA-50PHs has a top speed of Mach 1.5 or one and a half times the speed of sound and is capable of being fitted with air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 “Sidewinder” air-to-air and heat-seeking missiles aside from light automatic cannons. (PNA)
