The seventh and eighth units of the FA-50PH trainer aircraft arrived in the country Wednesday morning.

Col. Antonio Francisco, Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesman, said these arrived at the Air Force City in Clark Air Base in Pampanga around 11:07 am.

The arrival ceremony for the two FA-50 aircraft, with tail number 007 and 008, was led by PAF Vice Commander Major General Conrad Parra Jr.

Francisco said with the arrival of the fourth batch of FA-50 jets, the PAF has eight jets in its inventory while the delivery of the rest of the jets will be completed within the year.

The government has spent a total of 18.9 billion pesos to buy 12 FA-50 fighter aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the first batch of which were delivered on November 2015, while the second batch arrived on November 2016 and the third batch was delivered last March 3, 2017.

Francisco said the FA-50 is a multiple fighter variant of KAIs T50 Golden Eagle supersonic advanced jet trainer.

It is capable of carrying short range air-to-air missile, air-to-surface missiles with countermeasures such as chaffs and infrared flares, he said.

Francisco said the jets were acquired to beef up the country territorial defense capabilities.

Moreover the acquisition signals the symbolic return of the PAF to its supersonic age after the PAF?s F-5 Freedom Fighter jets were retired in 2005, he said. Robina Asido/DMS