Korean Air Force showcases jets in Pampanga air show

CLARK FREEPORT—South Korea’s supersonic jets buzzed over an air base here in Pampanga on Sunday, turning the skies into their playground, as they showed dazzling aerobatic maneuvers in the first of a series of air shows in the Philippines this week.

Spectators cheered under the searing midday sun as eight black, white and gold T-50B advanced trainers of the Republic of Korea Air Force (Rokaf) performed half an hour of 23 aerial stunts, including a giant heart drawn in the sky with an arrow shot through it.

Other maneuvers left trails of blue, white and red smoke, while another stunt featured two aircraft flying from opposite directions at close range, as though crashing into each other.

The program also featured a brief “friendship flight” with four of the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) FA-50 light fighters, the combat-capable derivative of the T-50 trainer aircraft. Both planes were built by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

The Philippines bought 12 FA-50 light attack aircraft from KAI for P18.9 billion in 2015.

Friendship flight

It was not the first time the two KAI-built aircraft flew together, however. In 2022, the Philippine and South Korean jets staged a show at Basa Air Base in 2022 when the Black Eagles first performed in the country.

Maj. Gen. Park Chang Kyu, commander of the Rokaf’s Air and Defense Control Command, said the friendship flight represented “the deep trust and cooperation” between the two countries, which are marking the 75th year of diplomatic relations this year.

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Park recalled in his speech that the Philippines sent 7,000 troops during the Korean War and was among the first Southeast Asian countries to establish diplomatic ties with South Korea. He also honored Filipino veterans and the 112 soldiers who offered their lives “in defense of the freedom and peace of the Korean Peninsula.”

At the start of the program, the guest of honor, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., said the Philippines and South Korea still shared the same values when the two fought together “against tyranny and oppression” more than 70 years ago.

He said both countries were committed to “[ensuring] a free and open Indo-Pacific, to freedom of navigation on the seas, to respect of international law and against encroachment… through the use of brute force by stronger powers.”

The defense chief left the event early for other personal commitments.

3 days of air shows

Sunday marked the first of three days of air shows by the Rokaf’s 53rd Air Demonstration Group, or widely known as Black Eagles.

The first day was intended for the top defense and military officials, Korean Embassy officials and defense exhibitors. The next two days will be open to the public.

The Philippines is the second and final stop of the Black Eagles after performing at Singapore’s Changi Airport last February during the Singapore Airshow, a biennial aerospace event.

KAI has been offering to export additional FA-50s and its future KF-21 Boramae multirole aircraft to the PAF.

The FA-50 light fighters were touted as “game changers” during the Marawi siege, a five-month battle between government troops and Islamic State-linked militants in 2017, which killed thousands.

KAI and other Korean defense companies such as Dasan Engineering and LIG Nex 1 set up booths at Clark Air Base to showcase their equipment.

South Korea, one of the world’s top arms exporters, has been a major source of defense equipment for the Philippines. It is currently building six offshore patrol vessels and two corvettes for the Philippine Navy for a combined P58 billion.

Seoul recorded $14 billion in exports in 2023 and aims to become one of the top four global defense exporters by 2027.

Aside from Korea, Sweden has been offering its Saab Jas-39 Gripen aircraft while the United States has been pitching Lockheed Martin F-16 for the PAF’s multirole fighter acquisition project. INQ