S. Korea hopes to deliver first 3 of 12 fighter jets to PH by 2028
Philippine News Agency
By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
July 22, 2025, 6:02 pm
MANILA -- South Korea is shooting to deliver the first three of the 12 FA-50 Block 70 light combat aircraft to the Philippines before the end of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s term in 2028, South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa said on Tuesday.
The Philippines last month signed the USD700 million contract to acquire the 12 fighter jets from Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. (KAI) as it seeks to enhance its air defense capabilities.
"This additional purchase, the 12 FA-50s, we believe it will make a significant improvement also for the Air Force of the Philippines," Lee said in a luncheon meeting with the press in Makati City.
"The first batch will be delivered, we hope, before the end of the term of the Marcos administration."
The comprehensive package includes mission equipment, integrated logistics support, and a training and logistics information system.
The Korea-made combat jet represents the latest evolution of the FA-50 platform, featuring advanced avionics, modern radar systems, and extended operational range.
Its delivery will be carried out in phases over the next five years, with full completion targeted by 2030.
South Korea and the Philippines' defense cooperation continues to grow as the two nations elevated their partnership into a "strategic" one in October 2024.
On top of the additional 12 combat jets, the Philippines recently acquired the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG06), built by South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Amid global instability, Lee assured Filipinos that South Korea would stand as a "reliable partner" of the Philippines.
"As fellow maritime nations, we share an abiding interest in maintaining peace and stability, as well as upholding a rules-based order in the South China Sea and beyond," he said. (PNA)
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