DND to buy P100M ammo for FA-50 fighter jets

One of two newly-acquired FA-50 fighter planes goes through a spray of water during a salute as it arrives in Clark Air Base in Pampanga from South Korea. The first two of the 12 brand new fighter jets worth 18 billion pesos ($381 million) are part of the country’s military modernization program. They mark the air force’s return to “supersonic jet age”. INQUIRER PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Defense will be purchasing more than P100 million worth of 20 mm ammunition for two of its brand new, supersonic FA-50 lead-in fighters from South Korea.

The acquisition of 93,600 rounds of 20 mm ammunition is meant to make the newest jets of the Philippine Air Force combat ready.

The DND has allotted P106.138 million for the purchase, which will be sourced from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Act Trust Fund.

A pre-bid conference is scheduled for January 6 at the DND bids and awards committee conference room in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

The winning bidder will be required to deliver the ammunition within 360 calendar days.

“Part of the procurement process is the armament system for our FA-50 fighters. This purchase is part of the arms acquisition package for our aircraft,” said AFP spokesperson, Col. Restituto Padilla.

The 93,600 rounds of 20 mm ammunition will be used to arm the FA-50’s modified A50 gun system, which is usually employed in close-quarter fighting and strafing missions.

Meanwhile, the military is also allocating P33,702,286 for the fighter jets’ countermeasures project.

The DND will be purchasing 17,280 RR-170 Chaffs and 8,640 MJU-7 infrared flares with impulsive cartridges for the Elbit Elisra countermeasure dispenser system of the FA-50 fighter jets.

The pre-bid conference for the countermeasures project contract will be also on January 6.

Two FA-50 fighter jets were delivered to the country by the Korea Aerospace Industry in November 2015.

The Philippine government acquired 12 FA-50 lead-in fighters from the Korea Aerospace Industry, at the cost of P18.9 billion. The rest of the aircraft will be delivered in batches until 2017.

The FA-50 lead-in fighter jet is a variant of the Korea Aerospace Industry’s T-50 Golden Eagle, a family of supersonic advanced trainers and light combat aircraft.

The supersonic FA-50 fighter will be designated as the Air Force’s interim fighter until the military acquires more funding to purchase more advanced fighter aircraft.  SFM