Philippine FA-50 Fighter Jet Missing During Night Operation as Air Force Plans New Purchase

A Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50 fighter jet with two crew members went missing during a tactical night operation near Cebu early Tuesday, as the Air Force plans to purchase 12 additional aircraft.

The jet, part of a training mission from Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base, lost communication with other aircraft minutes before reaching its target area, according to a PAF statement. The base is located near Cebu, the Philippines' second-largest city.

PAF spokesperson Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo said search operations using "all available resources" are ongoing. She confirmed that other aircraft in the mission attempted to contact the missing FA-50 before returning to base. Details of the mission and the number of participating aircraft were not disclosed due to operational security.

This is the first major incident involving the South Korean-built FA-50 fighter jet. The Philippines purchased 12 FA-50s from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for approximately $420 million in 2014 and currently operates 11.

In January, Philippine media reported that the Air Force plans to acquire 12 more FA-50 Block 20 fighter jets under a $600 million contract. The new jets are expected to feature active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, advanced avionics, and the ability to carry beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles.

The FA-50 was originally developed as a successor to the Cold War-era F-5 fighter for the Republic of Korea Air Force. It is known for its relatively low maintenance requirements and operational costs.