Lt. Col. Rolando Conrad Peña III, one of the three Filipino pilots who experienced FA-50PH jet flight training with the Republic of Korea Air Force in the course of the last six and a half months revealed that FA-50PHs would be utilized for different types of missions, including interceptions.
Peña said, “We’ve been trained to do tactical intercepts, so we are able to do that.”
He said the two Jet fighter touched base with no combat hardware or armaments. But efforts are in progress to obtain weapons, munitions for the aircraft, which may include air-to- air and air-to-ground capability.
“It has a most extreme payload limit of 10,000 lbs so it’s all very much capable. But of course, there are limitations but let’s not talk about the limitations. We should discuss the capabilities and I think we purchased the best lead in contender fighter trainer,” he said.
Peña said the Air Force can now react quicker to any circumstance and unexpected situations.
“Now that we have a supersonic aircraft, our reaction time will be faster and we are more capable with this type of aircraft,” he said.
“This is truly like a Ferrari in light of the fact that it is a fly-by-wire fighter aircraft. It’s similar to a United States F-16 fighting falcon, however, it has little weak on some parameters yet then it is best that the Air Force acquired right now. Yet, we are looking and anticipating to acquiring the multi-role fighters,” Peña added. – Carl E., PNA
