The American are impressed in the over all performance of the Philippine Air Force LIFT aircraft the FA-50. Philippine Air Force pilots showed the Americans what the FA-50 can do in the joint flight simulation exercise where they conducted an interception involving the FA-50 against other jets the Hawker Hunter. Due to its modern radar equipment the FA-50 easily detected the hostile aircraft and intercepted them with the help of Airborne Warning and Control System(AWACS).
The FA-50, which is based on the T-50 supersonic advanced trainer platform, is offered as an affordable and efficient supersonic advanced light attack platform. The combat aircraft is intended to meet the light fighter requirements of air forces around the world. The advanced radar provides the FA-50 with detection capability which is similar to that of the F-16 fighter. The FA-50 is atleast 13.14m in length, 9.45m width and 4.82m in height. The aircraft weighs 6.47T(Empty). It can carry up to 4.5T of weapon load. Can be armed with an AIM-9 Sidewinder short range air-to-air missile, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground tactical missiles, GBU-38/B Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), CBU-105 Sensor Fused Weapon (SFW), Mk-82 Low Drag General Purpose (LDGP) bombs and Cluster Bomb Units (CBUs). The aircraft is also mounted with an internal, three-barrel 20mm Gatling gun and LAU-3/A 19-tube 2.75" rocket launcher for firing Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets (FFAR). The wide range of weapon systems aboard the FA-50 allows it to counter multiple threats in today's complex battlefield scenario. The FA-50 has a General Electric F404-GE-102 turbofan engine with a 17,700lbf of thrust with afterburner.
The Philippine Government ordered 12 units of FA-50 Fighter Jets to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)worth P18.9 Billion as part of the Modernization Program of the Philippine Military.
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