CLARK AIR BASE — The Philippines on Saturday took delivery of two Korean-made fighter jets — the country's first supersonic combat aircraft in a decade — as part of a new drive to strengthen its underfunded military amid an escalating territorial feud with China.
Amid applause from Philippine defence officials, the Korean-made FA-50 jets touched down at Clark Freeport, a former US Air Force base north of Manila, where fire trucks sprayed water as a traditional welcome salute for the still-unarmed aircraft.
The two fighters, flown from Seoul by South Korean pilots, were met in Philippine airspace by two S211 jets that escorted them to Clark.
The Philippines has bought a total of 12 FA-50s, which are primarily trainer jets that the military converted to also serve as multi-role combat aircraft, from Korea Aerospace Industries at a cost of US$402 million. The other jets would be delivered in batches until 2017.
Weapons that include bombs and rockets for the FA-50s will be purchased later.
"We're glad we're finally back to supersonic age,'' Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said.
The Philippine military decommissioned its last fleet of supersonic combat aircraft, the F-5, in 2005. A military modernisation programme that included plans for the purchase of at least a squadron of fighter jets and naval frigates stalled for several years largely because of a lack of funds.
Over the years, the military has deteriorated to become one of Asia's weakest.
Under President Benigno Aquino, however, territorial spats with China over islands in the South China Sea have escalated and resulted in the Chinese seizure of a disputed shoal in 2012, prompting the military to scramble to acquire new ships and planes with the help of its long-time defence treaty ally, the United States.
President Aquino has approved the purchase of a total of $932.74 million worth of military equipment to help boost maritime security capability, Defence Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said on Saturday.
A multi-year contract calls for the purchase of two frigates, eight amphibious assault vehicles, three anti-submarine helicopters, two long-range patrol aircraft, three aerial radars, munitions for the fighters and close support planes, Manalo told reporters.
"With these aircraft, our capability to guard maritime borders will be enhanced," an air force general told Reuters, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media. "Our response time will be quicker but we would need radar and communications to fully integrate our air defence systems."
Lt Col Rolando Condrad Pena, one of three Filipino air force pilots who received training in Korea to fly the FA-50s, said that the jets could carry enough munitions payload and could be used in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.
"Now that we have a supersonic aircraft our reaction time will be faster,'' he said.