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Photo = KAI |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Seoul/Manila, June 4 — Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), in cooperation with South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), has signed a contract with the Philippine Department of National Defense to export 12 FA-50 light combat aircraft by 2030. The deal is valued at $700 million, marking South Korea's largest defense export so far this year.
The signing ceremony took place on June 3 in Manila, and represents a follow-up order to the Philippines’ initial 2014 contract for 12 FA-50s. The customized FA-50PH variant, already in active service with the Philippine Air Force (PAF), has demonstrated operational success — most notably during the Battle of Marawi in 2017, and in multinational exercises such as Pitch Black 2023 in Australia.
KAI stated, "This deal reflects the Philippine Air Force's continued trust in the FA-50PH, based on operational experience. It is the result of a unified effort from DAPA, the Korean Air Force, the Defense Technology Promotion Institute, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Korean diplomatic missions in the Philippines."
DAPA added, "The contract not only strengthens defense ties between Korea and the Philippines but also contributes to security and stability in the Southeast Asian region."
This is KAI’s first FA-50 export contract since signing a deal with Malaysia in May 2023 to supply 18 units. To date, over 140 FA-50s have been exported to six countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Iraq, Poland, and Malaysia.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
