Page 14 - ADT NOV - DEC 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP

POTENT PERFORMERS

Affordable light fighters are aiding in the modernisation

of air forces in the Indo-Pacific region

By ATUL CHANDRA
M odern light fighters and is equipped with a tactical data an aircraft exported overseas by

link, precision-guided bombs, and
light attack aircraft are
Korea. The Philippines purchased
far more capable than
entered operational service in 2015
the aircraft that preceded them and self-protection equipment. The type 12 FA-50PHs in 2014. The aircraft
has been deployed and operated
have dramatically upgraded the by the Republic of Korea Air Force and were also used in combat in
capability of air forces in the region (ROKAF) since 2013. The latest 2017.
that have opted for these types. variant of the TA-50 is the TA-50
Modern light fighters in service are Block 2 aircraft, which was modi- KAI has also been contracted by
highly capable multi-role jets such fied into the FA-50PL, as an export Malaysia to deliver the FA-50M. KAI
as the Korea Aerospace Industries version and delivered to Poland. bagged the Royal Malaysian Air
(KAI) FA-50, Sino-Pakistan JF-17 KAI is slated to deliver 20 TA-50 Force (RMAF) order for 18 FA-50s
and Indian Hindustan Aeronautics Block 2 aircraft to the ROKAF by in February, as part of a deal worth
Limited (HAL) ‘Tejas’. 2026. In September this year, KAI USD920 million. Malaysia joins
announced that it had been con- Indonesia, the Philippines and
tracted to provide Performance Thailand as other regional operators
Korean Winner Based Logistics (PBL) support of the Korean type. RMAF FA-50Ms
KAI’s FA-50 light fighter is based to the Philippine Department of will be armed with two wingtip AIM-9
on the highly succesful T-50 Defence for its FA-50PH aircraft. ‘Sidewinder’ missiles, two AGM-65
Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) and This was the first PBL case for ‘Maverick’ air-to-ground weapons
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