PAF says FA-50PHs to be headquartered in Clark Air Base for a while
MANILA (PNA) -- By next year, all available FA-50PH light interim fighter aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be based at Clark Air Base in Pampanga,PAF chief-of-air staff Major Gen. Galileo Gerard Kintanar said on Saturday.
"Definitely, for next year, the two FA-50PHs) are going to be in Clark Air Base," he added.
The country's first two FA-50PHs arrived last Nov. 28 at the above-mentioned airfield, while the remaining 10 out of the 12-plane order from Korea Aerospace Industries will be delivered in staggered basis in 2016 and 2017.
The order is worth PhP18.9 billion.
Kintanar said the decision to base the FA-50PHs at Clark Air Base is based on the fact that the nearby Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga and airfields in Subic Bay are not prepared to handle nor accommodate the new fighter aircraft.
He added the latter facilities will be fixed and upgraded simultaneously so that they will be able to accommodate modern fighter jets.
Plans are also afoot to transfer to Subic Bay some of the functions being handled by Basa Air Base while its aerodrome facilities, including the runways and hangars, are modernized for fighter operations.
Kintanar envisioned Basa Air Base to be ready for fighters operations by 2017.
He also said the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan will also be upgraded to accommodate FA-50PHs and other modern aircraft.
(PNA)
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