PAF dreams of going supersonic once more

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PAF dreams of going supersonic once more
61ST ANNIVERSARY : PAF dreams of going supersonic once more

 
By Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
 
Posted date: July 03, 2008
 

MACTAN BENITO EBUEN AIR BASE, Cebu, Philippines—On its 61st founding anniversary, the dream of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to re-enter the supersonic age lives on.
“Supersonic … it feels good to be [in the] supersonic [era],” a grinning PAF chief, Lt. Gen. Pedrito Cadungog, told reporters here Wednesday.

For years, the PAF has had to make do with vintage, Vietnam-War-era aircraft because they lacked the budget for modernization.

For the first time, the PAF had its founding anniversary celebration outside its headquarters at Villamor Air Base.

Upon orders of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the ceremony was moved to Mactan Air Base to commiserate with families of the victims of the MV Princess of the Stars, most of whom are here in Cebu.

It was also to give tribute to the heroism and contribution of the Air Force in their search, rescue, retrieval and relief operation following the tragic sinking of the Sulpicio Lines ferry.

Cadungog said he remains optimistic about the future of the Air Force.

He said by 2011, the Air Force would focus its mission on territorial defense and hopefully, the procurement of modern aircraft, particularly supersonic jets, would begin.

By then, President Arroyo would have ended her 10-year term as commander-in-chief, and if her orders would be met, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) would have crushed the communist insurgency.

Limited capability

Cadungog admitted that today, the PAF has “very, very limited capability.”

He stressed that as a “respected nation, we must have a projection of military power.”

“Without it, who will respect us? No one,” Cadungog said.

To have an Air Force with a “respectable” air power, he said the service command would need at least P50 billion in a multi-year acquisition.

“Having a trillion [-peso-budget] would make the Air Force more than respectable,” Cadungog said.

The closest the Air Force could get to supersonic, (faster than the speed of sound), would be its Italian-made S-211 jet trainers.

In 2005, the Air Force decommissioned its five remaining fighter jets—the supersonic F-5s—because of high maintenance costs.

At the start of the new millennium, with so little operational air assets, the Air Force organized the Special Operations Wing (SPOW), a ground unit to contribute to the anti-communist and counter-terrorism campaign of the AFP.

The Air Force currently has two phases for its capability upgrade program, namely, Horizon 1 and Horizon 2.

Supersonic jets by 2015

For five years, until 2011, the PAF was geared towards Horizon 1, specifically to upgrade its assets for internal security operations such as the acquisition of night-capable attack helicopters.

Horizon 2 will focus on the PAF’s capability upgrade on territorial defense starting in 2011.

Under Horizon 2, the PAF aims to acquire multi-role aircraft, additional surface attack aircraft that are capable of air-to-air engagement, a radar system, and long-range patrol aircraft for maritime patrol and border security.

“If we want to have supersonic jets by 2015, the process should start now,” Cadungog said.
 

 

 
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