Philippine FA-50 Fighter Jet and Crew Missing

A Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50 fighter jet and its two-man crew have gone missing after flying a tactical mission in support of ground forces engaged in a firefight with communist rebels in the southern Mindanao region, military officials reported on Tuesday.

Colonel Consuelo Castillo, a spokeswoman for the air force, confirmed that the jet disappeared during a “tactical night operation” while en route to its target area. The mission, which was part of a coordinated effort to assist troops fighting the New People’s Army (NPA), involved flying over land.

Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala further clarified that the missing FA-50 was part of a squadron dispatched to provide air support to troops in Bukidnon province. Lieutenant-Colonel Francisco Garello of the 4th Infantry Division explained that air support had been requested overnight amid a firefight with NPA rebels in a mountainous region.

“The 403rd Infantry Brigade engaged in a firefight and requested air support, which the air force provided,” Garello said.

The NPA, a long-running Maoist insurgency, is believed to have fewer than 2,000 active guerrilla fighters.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) stated that the jet lost contact with its squadron minutes before reaching its target area. The fighter jets had taken off from Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base, located in Cebu, the Philippines’ second-largest city. This incident marks the first major occurrence involving the FA-50 squadron, which has previously participated in exercises over the disputed South China Sea.

Castillo expressed hope that the aircraft and crew would be recovered, saying, “We are still very optimistic that they are safe.” She also confirmed that extensive search operations were underway, utilizing all available resources.

The missing FA-50 is part of the Philippines’ fleet of 12 FA-50 fighter jets, purchased from South Korea in the last decade. These aircraft have also been involved in joint air patrols with the United States over the contested South China Sea, where tensions between the Philippines and China have been escalating due to disputes over maritime territory.

In light of this incident, there have been discussions within the Philippine government about the potential purchase of 12 more FA-50s.

This latest disappearance adds to a series of deadly accidents involving Philippine military aircraft in recent years. In April, two navy pilots died in a helicopter crash during a training flight, while in January 2023, two PAF pilots were killed when their Marchetti SF260 plane crashed into a rice field.