New fighter jets escort Noy plane
The two newly acquired lead-in fighter trainer jets of the Philippine Air Force yesterday escorted President Aquino’s plane as it entered the country’s airspace up to landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport – a role that the military has not done for years.
It was the first time since 2005 that the Air Force performed its traditional role of escorting the president while in Philippine airspace. The same courtesy was also extended to visiting heads of states.
The escort role was performed by the Air Force’s F- 5 fighter aircraft before they were decommissioned in 2005. Aquino yesterday returned to the country from a three- day visit to the United States, his last foreign trip as president.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Her-- minio Coloma Jr. said the FA- 50 jets escorted PR 001, the flight carrying Aquino, from the air space above Polillo Island as it made its approach before landing at the airport.
The jets maneuvered by Air Defense Wing pilots took off from Clark Field Airbase and made contact with the presidential flight at 6:37 a.m. The plane carrying Aquino and his delegation landed at 7:05 a.m.
The military has purchased 12 jets from South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries for P18.9 billion, making it the largest item in the armed forces’ modernization shopping list.
The two jets were delivered in November and formally turned over to the Philippine Air Force last month. The ten other jets will be delivered in 2017.