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Khaleej Times
04-03-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
Philippine fighter jet goes missing during mission against rebels
A Philippines FA-50 fighter jet is missing after flying a mission against communist rebels in the country's south, military officials said on Tuesday, although hopes remain its two-member crew could still be alive. Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala told AFP the missing jet was part of a squadron sent "to provide air support" to troops engaged in a firefight overnight in Mindanao's Bukidnon province. It was still too early to say if the fighter had crashed or made an emergency landing, air force spokeswoman Colonel Consuelo Castillo told AFP. However, locator beacons for both the crew and the FA-50 were active in a potentially "hot" or hostile area, she said in an interview with local television. "Beacons worn by the two crew as well as on the plane are emitting signals, and troops are working their way to the general area," which was mountainous and forested, Castillo told ABS-CBN. Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Garello of the 4th Infantry Division told AFP that air support had been called in overnight during a firefight with the New People's Army. "There was a firefight between the 403rd Infantry Brigade (Philippine Army) and the rebels, and they made a request for air support, so the air force supported the encounter," Garello said. The long-running Maoist insurgency is now believed to have fewer than 2,000 guerrilla fighters. Local search efforts While the air force declined to disclose a location, a disaster official in Bukidnon province told AFP preparations were being made for local forest rangers to search the area where the fighter's signal was lost. "We are sending two teams up tonight to the area, one in Mount Kilakiron and another in Mount Kalatungan," said Ramil Gulahab, an air force reservist. At 2,880 metres, Kalatungan is the fifth-tallest mountain in the Philippines. "They will conduct a search there because that was where the signal was lost," he said. The fighters flew out of Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base, which shares a runway with the airport in Cebu, the Philippines' second-largest city. Castillo told reporters it was the "first major incident involving" its squadron of FA-50s, which have been used in exercises over the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines has a dozen of the fighters, which it purchased from South Korea in the past decade. Deadly crashes The FA-50s have taken part in joint air patrols with treaty ally the United States over contested areas of the South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have been involved in increasingly tense confrontations. Beijing claims almost the entirety of the crucial waterway, through which trillions of dollars in commerce transits each year, despite a ruling from The Hague that its assertion has no legal basis. Philippine outlet the Inquirer reported in January that the government was considering purchasing 12 more FA-50s. There have been a number of deadly crashes involving Philippine military aircraft in recent years. Two navy pilots were killed last April when their Robinson R22 helicopter crashed near a market south of the capital Manila during a training flight. Two PAF pilots were killed in January 2023 when their Marchetti SF260 turboprop plane crashed into a rice field.
Daily Tribune
04-03-2025
- General
- Daily Tribune
What Happened to the Philippine Fighter Jet?
A Philippines FA-50 fighter jet is missing after flying a mission against communist rebels in the country's south, military officials said on Tuesday, although hopes remain its two-member crew could still be alive. Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala told AFP the missing jet was part of a squadron sent "to provide air support" to troops engaged in a firefight overnight in Mindanao's Bukidnon province. It was still too early to say if the fighter had crashed or made an emergency landing, air force spokeswoman Colonel Consuelo Castillo told AFP. However, locator beacons for both the crew and the FA-50 were active in a potentially "hot" or hostile area, she said in an interview with local television. "Beacons worn by the two crew as well as on the plane are emitting signals, and troops are working their way to the general area," which was mountainous and forested, Castillo told ABS-CBN. Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Garello of the 4th Infantry Division told AFP that air support had been called in overnight during a firefight with the New People's Army. "There was a firefight between the 403rd Infantry Brigade (Philippine Army) and the rebels, and they made a request for air support, so the air force supported the encounter," Garello said. The long-running Maoist insurgency is now believed to have fewer than 2,000 guerrilla fighters. - Local search efforts - While the air force declined to disclose a location, a disaster official in Bukidnon province told AFP preparations were being made for local forest rangers to search the area where the fighter's signal was lost. "We are sending two teams up tonight to the area, one in Mount Kilakiron and another in Mount Kalatungan," said Ramil Gulahab, an air force reservist. At 2,880 metres (9,450 feet), Kalatungan is the fifth-tallest mountain in the Philippines. "They will conduct a search there because that was where the signal was lost," he said. The fighters flew out of Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base, which shares a runway with the airport in Cebu, the Philippines' second-largest city. Castillo told reporters it was the "first major incident involving" its squadron of FA-50s, which have been used in exercises over the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines has a dozen of the fighters, which it purchased from South Korea in the past decade. - Deadly crashes - The FA-50s have taken part in joint air patrols with treaty ally the United States over contested areas of the South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have been involved in increasingly tense confrontations. Beijing claims almost the entirety of the crucial waterway, through which trillions of dollars in commerce transits each year, despite a ruling from The Hague that its assertion has no legal basis. Philippine outlet the Inquirer reported in January that the government was considering purchasing 12 more FA-50s. There have been a number of deadly crashes involving Philippine military aircraft in recent years. Two navy pilots were killed last April when their Robinson R22 helicopter crashed near a market south of the capital Manila during a training flight. Two PAF pilots were killed in January 2023 when their Marchetti SF260 turboprop plane crashed into a rice field.
Khaleej Times
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Philippines to train with US Typhon missile system next month
A Philippine platoon will be trained on using a US mid-range missile system next month, ahead of joint drills, Manila's military said on Tuesday, in a move that will likely further fuel tensions with China. The US military deployed the Typhon missile system in the northern Philippines last year as part of an annual joint exercise, but it was not removed after the war games ended. The system's presence on Philippine soil has angered Beijing, whose forces have engaged in several confrontations with Philippine vessels in recent months over disputed reefs and waters in the South China Sea. Last month, the Philippine Army said it was planning to acquire the Typhon system as part of a push to secure its maritime interests, sparking warnings from China of a regional "arms race". A new platoon from the Philippines' Army Artillery Regiment will receive "orientation and familiarisation" training on the system, starting in the second or third week of February, army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala said in a press conference. The week-long training will involve troops from the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force of the US Army Pacific, Dema-ala added. "This is a continuation of what we've learned in the first (training) iteration. New units will be involved in the training and a continuation of the previous platoon that was trained last year," Dema-ala said. "As long as MRC (mid-range missile capability) is here, we maximise its utilisation to train our personnel in new technology," he added. Dema-ala said the training is in preparation for this year's Salaknib, an annual joint exercise between the Philippines and US armies. The training location cannot be disclosed, he told reporters, noting that there will be no firing of the Typhon system. Philippine military spokeswoman Colonel Francel Padilla said moving the launcher from its initial location to a different part of the country is a test "to see how these logistical trains can be transported to certain locations, to certain salient points." Philippine military officials have said the Typhon system would be able to protect vessels up to 370 kilometres off the coast, the limit of its maritime entitlement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Last week, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning renewed calls for the Philippines to "stop going further down the wrong path". "Let me stress again that by bringing this strategic offensive weapon into this part of the world, the Philippines is essentially creating tensions and antagonism in the region and inciting geopolitical confrontation and an arms race," she said.
South China Morning Post
28-01-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippine soldiers to train on US Typhon missile system
Published: 5:07pm, 28 Jan 2025 Philippine soldiers will train on the US military's intermediate range missile system during unilateral army drills next month as part of preparations for bigger exercises with US counterparts, a military official said on Tuesday. The Typhon missile system was deployed by US forces to the Philippines in April last year as part of their Balikatan or 'shoulder to shoulder' military exercises, and has since stayed in the country, angering China which has repeatedly called for its withdrawal. Reuters reported last week the launchers were redeployed to a new location in the Philippines, which officials decline to disclose. Tomahawk cruise missiles used in the launchers are capable of hitting targets in both China and Russia from the Philippines. The SM-6 missiles it also carries can strike air or sea targets more than 200km (165 miles) away. A platoon of about 20 soldiers from the army artillery regiment will train with the US Army Pacific's First Multi-Domain Task Force in mid-February, Philippine army spokesperson Louie Dema-ala said. US and Philippine troops during their joint military exercise Balikatan, on May 6, 2024. Photo: AP The exercise will focus on the 'payload delivery system' and will highlight the system's capabilities, Dema-ala said, adding it would not include live-fire exercises.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Philippine soldiers to train on US Typhon missile system
MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine soldiers will train on the U.S. military's intermediate range missile system during unilateral army drills next month as part of preparations for bigger exercises with U.S. counterparts, a military official said on Tuesday. The Typhon missile system was deployed by U.S. forces to the Philippines in April last year as part of their Balikatan or "shoulder-to-shoulder" military exercises, and has since stayed in the country, angering China which has repeatedly called for its withdrawal. Reuters reported last week the launchers were redeployed to a new location in the Philippines, which officials decline to disclose. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Tomahawk cruise missiles used in the launchers are capable of hitting targets in both China and Russia from the Philippines. The SM-6 missiles it also carries can strike air or sea targets more than 200 km (165 miles) away. A platoon of about 20 soldiers from the army artillery regiment will train with the U.S. Army Pacific's First Multi-Domain Task Force in mid-February, Philippine army spokesperson Louie Dema-ala said. The exercise will focus on the "payload delivery system" and will highlight the system's capabilities, Dema-ala said, adding it would not include live-fire exercises. "As long as the MRC (mid-range capability) is here, we maximise its utilisation to train our personnel with these new technologies," Dema-ala told a media briefing. The Philippines last year expressed interest to acquire the launchers as part of its modernisation programme. Philippine military spokesperson Francel Margareth Padilla on Tuesday said preparations were underway for this year's annual Balikatan exercises, which are billed to be one of the biggest. Security engagements between the Philippines and treaty ally, the United States, have intensified in recent years, as both countries aim to counter what they see as an increasingly assertive China. Strong ties between the two are expected to continue under U.S. President Donald Trump, whose Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to the Philippines under their decades-old mutual defence treaty.
