Balikatan Live-fire Exercise Sinked Retired Corvette

28 April 2023

Sinkex at Balikatan 2023 (photo : PAF)

Live-fire exercise shows PAF aircraft interoperability, firepower

MANILA – Fighter and attack aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) has successfully demonstrated their interoperability and firepower in the successful combined joint littoral live-fire exercise in Zambales last April 26, the PAF said Thursday.

In a statement, Air Force spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said the PAF deployed two FA-50PH light jet fighters from the 5th Fighter Wing to participate in the live-fire exercises in the waters of San Antonio, Zambales.

Both aircraft were armed with the AGM-65 G2 "Maverick" air to surface guided missiles.

A-29B ST and T-129 ATAK Pilots and Ground Crew after a successful Surface Strike sortie (photo : PAF)

One of the FA-50PHs targeted and fired its missile against the World War II corvette, BRP Pangasinan (PS-31), and struck the warship during the sinking exercise phase.

Castillo said two more PAF attack aircraft, the T-129 "Atak" helicopter and A-29 "Super Tucano" strike plane also demonstrated its firepower during the exercise.

Other American aerial participants like the F-16s jet fighters and AH-64 attack helicopters also fired at the decommissioned corvette prior to its sinking.

An AGM 65 "Maverick" air-to-surface guided missile is fired from a FA-50PH during the joint live-fire exercise (photo : PAF)

BRP Pangasinan eventually sank after being hit by a laser-guided bomb dropped by a participating American F-35B "Lightning II" around 2:55 p.m.

"Direct Air Support Force provided airspace management while the Combat Air Controller Team gave the 'cleared hot' for weapons' release," Castillo said.

Meanwhile, the PAF's "Hermes" 900 UAV aircraft provided situational awareness through a live-feed of the target.

BRP Pangasinan after hit by laser-guided bomb dropped by US F-35B aircraft (photo : PAF)

"The live-fire activity highlighted the interoperability and combined strike capabilities of different units coming from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) major services and their US counterparts," Castillo said.

Approximately 1,400 marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen and coast guardsmen from the US and Philippines took part in the training, which involved detecting, identifying, targeting and engaging a target ship using a variety of ground and air-based weapons systems.

This year's "Balikatan" is the largest annual exercise between the two allies and 2023 marks its 38th iteration and the largest to date with more than 17,600 participants.

The exercises started on April 11 and will end on the April 28. 

(PNA)