Two Philippine Air Force (PAF) fighter pilots went missing after one of its FA-50 light combat aircraft lost communication during a night flight operation after midnight Tuesday.

In a weekly press conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, Philippine Air Force public affairs office chief, said this "is the first major incident involving our fighter" aircraft.

She said one of the FA-50 fighter jets deployed to support military ground operations went missing "shortly after midnight".

Castillo did not say where the aircraft went missing but she said that the missing fighter jet departed Mactan before midnight Monday and "lost communication with the rest of the flight involved in the mission minutes before reaching the target area."

"The other aircraft repeatedly attempted to reestablish contact with the missing aircraft until their return to Mactan, Cebu," she added.

In a message to the Daily Manila Shimbun, Philippine Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said the missing fighter jet was one of the aircraft deployed to provide close air support to military forces operating against the New Peoples Army (NPA) in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.

Castillo said despite the incident the other FA-50 aircraft were able to complete their mission.

"The Philippine Air Force is conducting extensive and thorough search operations, utilizing all available resources to locate the missing jet fighter aircraft," she said.

"Our primary concern right now is the safe return of our aircrew. We are hopeful of locating them and the aircraft soon and ask you to join us in prayer during this critical time. Further details will be provided once they are available," she added.

Castillo said the 11 other units of FA-50 fighter jets remain operational as grounding was not yet declared as of Tuesday morning.

The 12 FA-50 fighter jets acquired from the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for P18.9 billion was delivered to the country from 2015 to 2017.

The aircraft, which is also capable of air defense and ground support missions, was also used heavily during the Marawi siege in 2017. Robina Asido/DMS