Philippine Air Force
The Philippine Air Force (Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas), independent since 1 July 1947 and descended from the air corps whose P-26s fought the Japanese in December 1941, went from Sabres and F-5s to ten years with no fighters at all after 2005, and in 2026 is rebuilding around 11 FA-50s, 47 Black Hawks and a South China Sea mission, with its multirole fighter still undecided.
The Philippine Air Force story: P-26s against Japan, ten years without fighters and a watch on the South China Sea
1935–1947: an army air corps, and three days in December 1941
Philippine military aviation dates itself to 2 January 1935, when an air corps was activated in the Constabulary; under the Commonwealth’s National Defense Act it became the Philippine Army Air Corps in 1936. It was small and American-equipped, and on 15 August 1941 it was inducted into the US Army. When Japan attacked in December 1941 its fighters were Boeing P-26s that the US Army’s own history calls obsolete. On 10 December Captain Jesús Villamor led the 6th Pursuit Squadron against a Japanese raid and was credited with two of the squadron’s four claims; on 12 December five P-26s took on a far larger formation over Batangas, and Lieutenant César Basa was killed. Villamor became the only Filipino awarded the Distinguished Service Cross twice. The claims were never matched against Japanese records, and the gesture could not stop the invasion: Bataan fell in April 1942.
1947–1970s: Mustangs, Sabres, the Blue Diamonds and the Congo
The air arm was rebuilt after liberation and became an independent service on 1 July 1947, the date the PAF still celebrates. Its first fighter was the P-51D Mustang, flown against the Hukbalahap insurgency and, from 1953, by the Blue Diamonds, one of the oldest formal aerobatic teams anywhere. The F-86 Sabre arrived at Basa in 1957 and the Blue Diamonds flew it from 1959; in February 1963 the 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron went to Kamina in the Congo for the UN, the PAF’s first foreign deployment. The Northrop F-5 followed in the mid-1960s, and the US Air Force next door at Clark ran the Cope Thunder exercises with the PAF from 1976.
1977–2005: Crusaders, coups and a slow decline
In late 1977 the Marcos government bought 35 ex-US Navy F-8H Crusaders, 25 of them refurbished by Vought. They were the PAF’s most potent fighters and its least supportable: they were grounded in 1988, and the Mount Pinatubo eruption of 1991 wrecked the stored jets at Basa. The air force was also pulled into politics. In December 1989 rebel officers seized Villamor, Sangley and Mactan and flew T-28s against Malacañang and the army and police headquarters; only US F-4s flying over the rebel bases from Clark ended the air attacks. Two years later the Americans left Clark and Cope Thunder ended; no new fighters were bought, and the F-5 soldiered on alone.
2005–2017: ten years without fighters, and Marawi
In September 2005 the last F-5s were retired with nothing to replace them. For a decade the Philippines had no jet fighters; strike work fell to SF-260 and AS-211 trainers and old OV-10 Broncos, while the helicopter force flew worn Hueys. Modernisation restarted in 2010: SF-260s, Polish W-3A Sokols, C-295 transports, Bell 412s, AW109 gunships and, on 28 November 2015, the first two of 12 Korean FA-50PHs. They were soon at war. The FA-50 first bombed at Butig in January 2017, and from May to October 2017 the PAF flew throughout the siege of Marawi. That campaign showed the cost of an air force relearning close air support: an SF-260 strike killed 11 Filipino soldiers on 31 May, and an FA-50 bomb that missed by 250 metres killed two more.
2018–2026: Black Hawks, the FA-50 again, and the sea
Since 2018 the money has flowed more steadily, if unevenly. Six A-29B Super Tucanos arrived in 2020; the Black Hawk became the backbone of the helicopter force, reaching 47 in August 2026; Turkish T129s and Japanese radars followed, and 12 FA-50 Block 70s were ordered in 2025. The cost of running old aircraft has been counted in lives, above all the C-130H that crashed at Jolo on 4 July 2021 with 53 dead. The strategic focus has turned to the South China Sea, where China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines all have claims and China rejects the 2016 tribunal ruling that favoured Manila. Joint patrols with the US and FA-50 trips to Australia show the direction; the multirole fighter the PAF has wanted for two decades is still not ordered.
The Philippine Air Force in numbers
Servicio
- Nombre nativo
- Hukbong Himpapawid ng PilipinasFilipino name as given by Wikipedia; English is the service’s working language and its official site uses "Philippine Air Force"
- Fundado
- 1 July 1947Anniversary date. Military aviation dates to 2 January 1935 (Constabulary air corps), renamed Philippine Army Air Corps in 1936; Executive Order No. 94 of 1947 made the PAF a major command
- Parte de
- Armed Forces of the PhilippinesUnder the Department of National Defense; Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
- Sede
- Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, PasayThe former Nichols Field, sharing runways with Ninoy Aquino International Airport
- Commanding General
- Lt. Gen. Arthur M. CorduraNamed on 19 December 2024; in post in August 2026
- Lema
- Guardians of our Precious Skies, Bearers of HopeAs given by Wikipedia
Fortaleza
- Personal
- About 17,600 active, 16,000 reserveWikipedia’s figures; the PAF did not publish a total on the pages reached
- Aviones de combate
-
- FA-50PH — 11 (12 delivered, one lost 2025)
- A-29B Super Tucano — 6, six more ordered
- T129B ATAK — six ordered
- AW109E, MD 520MG — numbers not confirmed
No multirole fighter; 12 FA-50 Block 70s ordered in 2025
- Transport and patrol
-
- C-130H/T — number not confirmed; three C-130J-30 on order
- C-295M, NC212i, ATR 72MP, Cessna 208B
- G280 and F28 VIP
The 220th Airlift Wing and 250th Presidential Airlift Wing fly the transports
- Helicópteros
-
- S-70i Black Hawk — 47
- UH-1H/D, Bell 412EP, W-3A Sokol — numbers not confirmed
The Philippines is the largest S-70i operator, per Inquirer
- Zapatos de deporte
-
- SF-260 — 16 (grounded May 2026)
- T-41 Mescalero
Cessnas and T-41s covered the final phase of pilot training during the SF-260 grounding
- Drones
- Hermes 900, Hermes 450, ScanEagle IINumbers not confirmed
Infraestructura
- Main air bases
-
- Villamor, Pasay — HQ, 250th Presidential Airlift Wing
- Basa, Pampanga — 5th Fighter Wing, FA-50
- Clark, Pampanga — A-29B commissioned here in 2020
- Mactan (Benito Ebuen), Cebu
- Basilio Fernando, Lipa, Batangas
- Antonio Bautista, Puerto Princesa, Palawan
- Edwin Andrews, Zamboanga
Wikipedia counts 23 major air bases and stations; see the stations list
- Former US bases
-
- Clark — US Air Force to 1991
- Basa — EDCA site; runway rehabilitation completed November 2023
Clark closed as a US base after the Pinatubo eruption and the Senate’s rejection of a new treaty; Cope Thunder resumed there in 2023
- Vigilancia aérea
- Mitsubishi Electric long-range radarsThree fixed and one mobile radar for PHP 5.5 billion; the Wallace Air Station site in La Union faces the West Philippine Sea
- Equipo de exhibición
- Blue Diamonds (inactive since 2005)Formed 1952; flew P-51D, F-86F and F-5
- Patrol effort
- 95 maritime patrol flightsAnd 1,034 flying hours of air and maritime patrols in the year to July 2025, PAF figures
How the Philippine Air Force is organised
General Headquarters at Villamor over air defence, air mobility, training, and fighter, strike and airlift wings spread from Luzon to Mindanao. The FA-50s fly from Basa, the 15th Strike Wing with its Super Tucanos and attack helicopters has its home at Lumbia, transport and the Black Hawk fleet answer to Mactan, and the President’s aircraft fly from Villamor. The PAF had no jet fighters from September 2005 until the first FA-50s arrived in November 2015.
General Headquarters, Philippine Air Force
At Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base in Pasay, which shares its runways with Ninoy Aquino International Airport; the PAF is part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Lt. Gen. Arthur M. Cordura has been commanding general since his designation was approved on 19 December 2024.
5th Fighter Wing
Every PAF fighter since the Mustang, and now the FA-50PH: 12 delivered from November 2015, one lost on 4 March 2025. The 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron’s FA-50s flew the type’s first combat mission, at Butig, on 26 January 2017; 12 FA-50 Block 70s were ordered in June 2025.
15th Strike Wing
The Trojans: six A-29B Super Tucanos, commissioned at Clark on 13 October 2020, with six more ordered, and T129B attack helicopters. Wikipedia has the wing at Lumbia since February 2017; where each type flies from day to day is not confirmed. The OV-10 Bronco was decommissioned in December 2024.
Comando de Movilidad Aérea
The 220th Airlift Wing’s C-130s, C-295s and NC212is and, per Wikipedia, the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, whose S-70i Black Hawks reached 47 in August 2026 and are spread across the regions. Three C-130J-30s are on order.
250th Presidential Airlift Wing
The Bluebirds fly the President, the First Family and visiting heads of state, with G280 and F28 jets among their aircraft; the wing marked its 58th anniversary at Villamor on 2 September 2026.
Air Defense Command
Headquartered at Clark, per Wikipedia, since the US Air Force left in November 1991. The PAF’s Mitsubishi Electric long-range radars include a site at Wallace Air Station in La Union facing what Manila calls the West Philippine Sea.
Air Education, Training and Doctrine Command
Set up in 1999 when the 100th Training Wing was deactivated, with the PAF Flying School at Lipa. The 16 SF-260 trainers were grounded after a fatal crash at Tuba, Benguet, on 20 May 2026.
What the Philippine Air Force flies today
Cada tipo está sujeto a cargos, vinculado a su página en el Libro de las Bestias, cuando existe. Las cifras corresponden a aeronaves registradas, no a aeronaves disponibles en un día determinado.
| Tipo | Role | En servicio | Desde | Unidades | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KAI FA-50PH Fighting EagleEn servicio | Light combat aircraft and lead-in fighter trainer | 11 | 2015 | — | 12 delivered between 28 November 2015 and 2017; one lost on 4 March 2025, leaving 11. | |
| Embraer A-29B Super TucanoEn servicio | Light attack and counter-insurgency | 6 | 2020 | — | Six commissioned at Clark on 13 October 2020; six more ordered in December 2024. | |
| TAI T129B ATAKEn servicio | Helicóptero de ataque | — | — | Six ordered for PHP 13 billion; the number delivered by 2026 was not confirmed in the sources reached. | ||
| AgustaWestland AW109E PowerEn servicio | Armed helicopter | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| MD Helicopters MD 520MGEn servicio | Light attack helicopter | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| Sikorsky (PZL Mielec) S-70i Black HawkEn servicio | Combat utility helicopter | 47 | 2020 | — | 48 bought (16 under a 2019 contract, 32 under a 2022 contract); Inquirer gives 47 in the fleet after the last seven arrived in August 2026. One crashed at Capas, Tarlac, on 23 June 2021. | |
| Bell UH-1H/D ("Huey" and "Super Huey")En servicio | Helicóptero utilitario | — | — | Number not confirmed; being replaced by the S-70i. | ||
| Bell 412EPEn servicio | Combat utility and VIP helicopter | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| PZL-Swidnik W-3A SokolEn servicio | Utility and search-and-rescue helicopter | — | 2012 | — | Número no confirmado. | |
| Lockheed C-130H/T HerculesEn servicio | Transporte táctico | — | 1976 | — | Fleet size not confirmed; a refurbished C-130 was received from the United States in February 2024. | |
| Airbus (CASA) C-295MEn servicio | Transporte medio | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| PT Dirgantara Indonesia NC212iEn servicio | Transporte ligero | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| ATR 72MPEn servicio | Patrulla marítima | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EXEn servicio | Light transport and ISR | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| Elbit Hermes 900 and Hermes 450En servicio | Medium-altitude long-endurance drones | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| SIAI-Marchetti / Leonardo SF-260FH and SF-260TPEn servicio | Primary trainer and light attack | 16 | — | 16 grounded after the fatal crash at Tuba, Benguet, on 20 May 2026. | ||
| Cessna T-41B/D MescaleroEn servicio | Entrenador principal | — | — | Número no confirmado. | ||
| SIAI-Marchetti (Aermacchi) AS-211 WarriorEn servicio | Entrenador a reacción y ataque ligero | — | — | Active status in 2026 not confirmed. | ||
| Gulfstream G280 and Fokker F28En servicio | Transporte VIP | — | — | Cifras no confirmadas. |
Bajo pedido
| Tipo | Ordenado | Primera entrega | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KAI FA-50 Block 70Bajo pedido | 12 | Contract with KAI signed in early June 2025, over USD 700 million with mission equipment, logistics and training; phased deliveries over five years, all by about 2030.
MásAdds an AESA radar and air-to-air refuelling. The first delivery year was not published. |
||
| Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super HerculesBajo pedido | 3 | 2026 | PHP 22.2 billion contract of February 2023 for the 220th Airlift Wing (cut from five aircraft).
MásThe DND scheduled deliveries for July 2026, October 2026 and January 2027; an arrival had not been confirmed in the sources reached by 30 September 2026. |
|
| Embraer A-29B Super TucanoBajo pedido | 6 | 2026 | About PHP 6.6 billion, notice of award 19 December 2024; delivery was expected in 2026, which would give the 15th Strike Wing twelve. Delivery not confirmed. |
Every type the Philippine Air Force has retired
9 types, from the Boeing P-26A Peashooter to the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco. Las cifras máximas corresponden a las aeronaves puestas en servicio durante toda su vida útil, no al número total de efectivos de la flota en una fecha concreta.
| Tipo | Role | Cima | Servido | Reemplazado por | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco | Light attack and observation | — | — | A-29B Super Tucano | Número no confirmado. | |
| Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter | Combatiente | — | 1964–2005 | FA-50PH (after a ten-year gap) | Número no confirmado. | |
| Vought F-8H Crusader | Combatiente | 25 | 1977–1988 | — | 35 ex-US Navy F-8Hs bought in late 1977; 25 refurbished by Vought, 10 used for spares. | |
| North American F-86F/D Sabre | Combatiente | — | 1957–1980 | F-5A, F-8H | Número no confirmado. | |
| North American P-51D Mustang | Combatiente | — | 1947–1959 | F-86 Sabre | Número no confirmado. | |
| Boeing P-26A Peashooter | Combatiente | 12 | 1941–1941 | — | 12 in the Philippine Army Air Corps inventory of 1941 per Wikipedia; the US Army official history speaks of only a handful operational. | |
| Martin B-10B | Bombardeo | 3 | — | — | Three in 1941 per Wikipedia. | |
| Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star | Entrenador a reacción | — | — | — | Number and dates not confirmed. | |
| North American T-28 Trojan | Trainer and counter-insurgency | — | — | — | Number and dates not confirmed. |
Where the Philippine Air Force flies from
Los marcadores negros indican bases activas, los marcadores huecos, aeródromos que han cerrado. Villamor, Basa, Clark, Mactan and Sangley Point were built by the Americans, and Clark and Mactan passed to the Philippine Air Force when US forces left in 1991; Basa, Antonio Bautista and Lumbia are among the agreed locations for US forces under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. Antonio Bautista on Palawan is the base nearest the Spratly Islands, which are claimed in whole or in part by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
Filipinas
2 of the 10 bases above sit outside the Philippines, so the world map has to pull back until the home airfields cannot be told apart. The same pins again, without the overseas bases.
| Base | OACI | Estado | Pista | Unidades y aeronaves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio BautistaPuerto Princesa, Palawan (Mimaropa) | RPVP | Activo | — |
|
| Basilio FernandoLipa, Batangas (Calabarzon) | Activo | — |
|
|
| Cesar BasaFloridablanca, Pampanga (Central Luzon) | RPUF | Activo | — |
|
| ClarkAngeles and Mabalacat, Pampanga (Central Luzon) | RPLC | Activo | 02/203.200 masfalto/hormigón |
|
| Colonel Ernesto RabinaCapas, Tarlac (Central Luzon) | RPLQ | Activo | — |
|
| Colonel Godofredo JulianoLumbia, Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental (Northern Mindanao) | RPML | Activo | — |
|
| Colonel Jesus VillamorPasay, Metro Manila (National Capital Region) | RPLL | Activo | — |
|
| Danilo AtienzaSangley Point, Cavite City, Cavite (Calabarzon) | RPLS | Activo | 07/252,367 m |
|
| Edwin AndrewsZamboanga City (Zamboanga Peninsula) | RPMZ | Activo | 09/272,611 m |
|
| Mactan–Benito EbuenLapu-Lapu City, Mactan Island, Cebu (Central Visayas) | RPVM | Activo | — |
|
Ninguna base aérea coincide con esa búsqueda.
Who is stationed where in the Philippine Air Force
Unidades voladoras por base, unidades actuales primero. The PAF is organised in numbered wings — the 5th Fighter Wing, 15th Strike Wing, 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, 220th Airlift Wing and 250th Presidential Airlift Wing — with squadrons such as the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron, which flew the FA-50’s first combat mission. The Blue Diamonds display team and the 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron, sent to the Congo for the UN in 1963, are listed as former units; where a unit’s base rests on Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.
- General Headquarters, Philippine Air ForceSede del servicio · activa
- No hay aeronave asignada
- 250th Presidential Airlift WingBluebirds · Presidential and VIP airlift wing · active
- Gulfstream G280, Fokker F28, Helicopters (types on the presidential flight not confirmed)
- 505th Search and Rescue GroupSearch and rescue group · active
- Helicopters (types not confirmed)
- 5th Fighter WingAla de cazas · activa
- KAI FA-50PH Fighting Eagle, SIAI-Marchetti S.211
- 7th Tactical Fighter SquadronEscuadrón de cazas · activo
- KAI FA-50PH Fighting Eagle, North American P-51D Mustang (1947)
- 355th Aviation Engineering WingAviation engineering wing · active
- No hay aeronave asignada
- 6th Fighter Squadron1947–
- North American P-51D Mustang
- 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron1962–
- North American F-86F Sabre
- Blue Diamonds1953–2005
- North American P-51D Mustang (1953–1959), North American F-86F Sabre (1959–1968), Northrop F-5 (1968–2005)
- Air Defense CommandAir defence command headquarters · active
- No hay aeronave asignada
- 15th Strike Wing (A-29B commissioning)Strike wing · active
- Embraer A-29B Super Tucano
- 710th Special Operations WingSpecial operations wing (ground) · active
- No hay aeronave asignada
- Air Education, Training and Doctrine CommandTraining command · active
- No hay aeronave asignada
- PAF Flying SchoolEscuela de entrenamiento de vuelo · activa
- SIAI-Marchetti SF-260, Cessna T-41 Mescalero
- 100th Training Wing—
- Trainers (types not confirmed)
- 570th Composite Tactical WingComposite tactical wing · active
- Aircraft not confirmed
- 15th Strike Wing—
- North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco, MD Helicopters MD 520MG
- Comando de Movilidad AéreaAir mobility command headquarters · active
- No hay aeronave asignada
- 220th Airlift WingAla de transporte aéreo · activa
- Lockheed C-130H/T Hercules, Airbus C-295M, PTDI NC212i
- 205th Tactical Helicopter WingAla de helicóptero · activa
- Sikorsky (PZL Mielec) S-70i Black Hawk, Bell UH-1H/D
- 560th Air Base GroupGrupo de base aérea · activo
- No hay aeronave asignada
- Tactical operations command / group, PalawanTactical operations unit · active
- Detached aircraft (types not confirmed)
- 3rd Air DivisionAir division headquarters · active
- No hay aeronave asignada
- Tactical Operations Group 9Tactical operations group · active
- Detached aircraft (types not confirmed)
- 206th Tactical Helicopter SquadronEscuadrón de helicópteros · activo
- Bell UH-1H/D
- 25th Composite Attack Squadron—
- North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco
- 15th Strike WingTrojans · Strike wing · active
- Embraer A-29B Super Tucano, TAI T129B ATAK, MD Helicopters MD 520MG, North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco (retired December 2024)
- 590th Air Base GroupGrupo de base aérea · activo
- No hay aeronave asignada
No se encontró ninguna unidad que coincida con esa búsqueda.
Philippine Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
2 January: military aviation activated as the Philippine Constabulary Air Corps (the PAF’s own dating); the National Defense Act of 1935 gives the Commonwealth army an air arm.
The air corps is renamed the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC).
15 August: the PAAC is inducted into the US Army. 10 and 12 December: Captain Jesús Villamor leads P-26s of the 6th Pursuit Squadron against Japanese raids; Lieutenant César Basa is killed on 12 December. Bataan falls on 9 April 1942.
1 July: the Philippine Air Force becomes a separate service, the date it celebrates as its founding; Executive Order No. 94 converts the Philippine Army Air Force into the PAF as a major command.
The Mustang aerobatic team formed in 1952 is proclaimed the Blue Diamonds.
The F-86 Sabre enters service at Basa, replacing the P-51.
11 February: the 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron leaves for the Congo to fly for the UN operation (ONUC) from Kamina.
Late 1977: 35 ex-US Navy F-8H Crusaders bought; 25 are refurbished.
1–9 December: rebel officers seize Villamor, Sangley and Mactan and attack Manila with T-28s; US F-4s from Clark fly deterrent sorties.
The Mount Pinatubo eruption damages Basa and the grounded F-8 fleet; the US leaves Clark.
September: the F-5 is retired with no replacement, leaving the PAF without jet fighters.
28 November: the first two FA-50PHs arrive; the last of 12 follow in 2017.
26 January: first FA-50 combat mission at Butig. 23 May–23 October: the Marawi siege; an air strike on 31 May kills 11 Filipino soldiers.
13 October: six A-29B Super Tucanos commissioned at Clark.
23 June: an S-70i crashes at Capas, six killed. 4 July: a C-130H crashes at Jolo, Sulu, 53 dead.
July: four FA-50s fly to Pitch Black in Australia, the PAF’s first fighter deployment to an overseas exercise. 19 December: Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura named commanding general; 28 December: OV-10 Bronco retired (reported).
4 March: first FA-50 loss in Bukidnon. 1 April: US approves a possible sale of 20 F-16s. Early June: 12 FA-50 Block 70s ordered from KAI.
20 May: fatal SF-260 crash, fleet grounded. July–August: FA-50s back at Pitch Black. 26 August: last of 32 more S-70i Black Hawks delivered, fleet 47.
Every war the Philippine Air Force has fought
Salidas y pérdidas donde consta en el registro, y un espacio en blanco honesto donde no.
- Japanese invasion of the Philippines 1941–1942 Fought Japanese air raids with a few obsolete P-26 fighters, then fought on the ground in Bataan
- Hukbalahap rebellion 1946–1954 Air support and transport for the army against the communist Hukbalahap insurgency
- United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC) 1963 A fighter squadron served with the UN air component in the last phase of the Katanga secession
- Moro conflict 1972– Close air support and airlift for the AFP against Moro separatist and later Islamist armed groups, including Zamboanga in 2013
- Communist insurgency (New People’s Army) 1969– Close air support, reconnaissance and airlift against the New People’s Army
Philippine Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Philippine Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Esta lista se actualiza automáticamente: las nuevas historias de Afterburner aparecen aquí de forma automática.
Everything people ask about the Philippine Air Force
What is the Philippine Air Force called in Filipino?
When was the Philippine Air Force founded?
What fighter jets does the Philippine Air Force fly?
Is the Philippines buying the Gripen or the F-16?
Why did the Philippines have no fighter jets from 2005 to 2015?
Who was Jesús Villamor?
What was the role of the Philippine Air Force at Marawi?
Who were the Blue Diamonds?
How many Black Hawks does the Philippine Air Force have?
What does the Philippine Air Force do in the South China Sea?
Read the aircraft the Philippine Air Force flew
Cada tipo tiene una página en el Libro de las Bestias, primero en servicio y luego por el año en que abandonó la flota.
Todos los datos, verificados
- Philippine Air Force: The Philippine Air Force (2010–2016)Official history page: SF-260 buys 2010–2011, W-3A Sokol 2012, C-295, Bell 412EP, AW109E, first two FA-50PH on 28 November 2015, Zamboanga 2013, Yolanda.
- Philippine Air Force: About usOfficial mission and vision statements.
- US Army Center of Military History: The Fall of the Philippines, chapter VLouis Morton’s official history: only a handful of obsolete P-26s operational in December 1941.
- Lawphil: Executive Order No. 94, s. 1947Section 110: the Philippine Army Air Force converted into the Philippine Air Force and raised to a major command.
- Inquirer: Marcos lauds PAF on 78th anniversary, vows steadfast backing (1 July 2025)78th anniversary at Villamor on 1 July 2025; 95 maritime patrol flights and 1,034 patrol flying hours in the year.
- United Nations: Republic of the Congo – ONUC facts and figuresPhilippines among ONUC troop contributors; mission July 1960 to June 1964.
- Inquirer: Bombs drop on terror groups’ lair (28 January 2017)First FA-50 combat mission, Butig, Lanao del Sur, 26 January 2017, 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
- Inquirer: Probers release report on 2 military crashes (3 September 2021)S-70i crash at Capas, Tarlac, 23 June 2021 (six killed); C-130 crash in Sulu, 4 July 2021 (53 dead).
- Inquirer: DND says PH to acquire 3 brand new C-130 aircraft from US firm (17 October 2023)Three C-130J-30; deliveries scheduled July 2026, October 2026 and January 2027.
- Philippine Defense Resource: C-130J Super Hercules acquisition projectContract February 2023, PHP 22.2 billion, three aircraft for the 220th Airlift Wing.
- Defense News: Philippines orders 12 more FA-50 combat jets from South Korea (5 June 2025)About USD 700 million; delivery around 2030; multirole fighter programme still undecided.
- Inquirer / PNA: PH acquires 12 FA-50 combat jets from South Korea (14 June 2025)FA-50 Block 70, over USD 700 million, phased deliveries to 2030; first batch of 12 cost PHP 18.9 billion.
- Inquirer: PAF grounds FA-50 fleet after fatal Bukidnon crash (6 March 2025)FA-50 lost on 4 March 2025 during a night support mission; two pilots killed; first loss of the type; 11 remain.
- Inquirer: PAF receives last 7 Black Hawks, completes 32-helicopter acquisition (26 August 2026)16 S-70i (2019 contract) plus 32 (2022 contract); 47 in the fleet; Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura commanding general in August 2026.
- GMA News: Arthur Cordura named new commanding general of Air Force (19 December 2024)Designation approved by President Marcos on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff and the Board of Generals.
- Inquirer: AFP welcomes possible F-16 sale to PH (2 April 2025)US State Department approval of 20 F-16s, about USD 5.5 billion, announced by DSCA on 1 April 2025.
- Inquirer: Air Force keeps eyes on Swedish Gripen jets (17 September 2021)Lorenzana: PHP 60 billion buys two F-16s or six Gripens.
- Inquirer: Lorenzana shows interest in 6 more Super Tucanos for PAF (14 October 2020)Six A-29Bs for PHP 4.7 billion commissioned at Clark on 13 October 2020; 15th Strike Wing.
- Pitz Defense Analysis: Additional A-29 Super Tucano for the PAF? (27 January 2025)Six more A-29s, PHP 6.6 billion, notice of award 19 December 2024; OV-10 decommissioned 28 December 2024. Defence blog, used with attribution.
- Inquirer: First 2 of 6 Turkish attack choppers bought by PH arriving in September (25 May 2021)Six T129 ATAK, PHP 13 billion, 15th Strike Wing; deliveries scheduled 2021–2023.
- Inquirer: SF-260 grounding disrupts final phase of PAF pilot training (26 May 2026)SF-260 crash at Tuba, Benguet, 20 May 2026, two pilots killed; 16 SF-260s grounded.
- Inquirer: AFP EastMinCom confirms PAF chopper crash in Agusan del Sur (4 November 2025)Super Huey lost near Loreto during relief flights for Tropical Storm Tino.
- Inquirer: PH’s four FA-50s arrive in Australia, mark first-ever overseas deployment (10 July 2024)Four FA-50s and 162 personnel at Darwin for Pitch Black 2024.
- Inquirer: Philippine Air Force joins Australia’s 2026 Pitch Black exercise (7 August 2026)Four FA-50s, one C-130 and about 200 personnel, 20 July to 7 August 2026.
- Inquirer: PH, US Air Force conduct next phase of 3rd joint patrol (19 February 2024)Three FA-50s with a USAF B-52H; first joint patrol November 2023.
- Inquirer: Over 500 PH-US air force troops resume war games after three decades (2 May 2023)Cope Thunder 1976–1990, resumed at Clark in May 2023.
- Inquirer: PAF unveils newest air surveillance system near West Philippine Sea (20 December 2023)Mitsubishi Electric radar at Wallace Air Station; three fixed and one mobile radar for PHP 5.5 billion.
- Inquirer: Marcos: PAF airlift wing key to swift disaster response (2 September 2026)58th anniversary of the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing at Villamor.
- Permanent Court of Arbitration: The South China Sea Arbitration (Philippines v. China)Award of 12 July 2016; China’s stated position of non-acceptance and non-participation.
- Council on Foreign Relations: Territorial disputes in the South China SeaClaimants: China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines; China refuses the tribunal’s authority.
- Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines: History of the Philippine Air ForceOfficial: Zablan Field flying school from 11 May 1936; Nichols funding August and October 1941; 6th Pursuit Squadron with twelve P-26s at Batangas.
- USGS: Casadevall, Delos Reyes and Schneider, The 1991 Pinatubo Eruptions and Their Effects on Aircraft OperationsAsh loads at Clark and Basa; 11 F-5s covered at Basa; Manila airport closed 15–19 June 1991; limited reopening of Clark and Basa in 1992.
- GlobalSecurity: Basa Air BaseCoordinates, 8,000 ft runway, transfer 2 May 1947, renaming 20 April 1948, F-5A and F-8 dates, 1989 F-5A strikes, Pinatubo damage.
- Pacific Wrecks: Floridablanca Airfield (Basa Air Base)Prewar bomber field; possible identity with Del Carmen No. 2; 312th Bomb Group and 348th Fighter Group in 1945; B-32.
- Brief History of Basa Air Base (5th Fighter Wing blog)Unofficial wing history; 22 August 1947 start, 24 October 1947 squadron activations, Blue Diamonds founder. Publisher not identified; used only alongside other sources.
- Philippine Air Force: official website (Cope Thunder PH 24-1 civil-military engagement at Basa Air Base)18 April 2024 briefing of CAAP controllers at Basa on the FA-50PH and F-16 during Cope Thunder 24-1.
- GlobalSecurity: Sangley Point / Danilo Atienza Air BaseSpanish and US naval history, NAS from 1955, turnover 1 September 1971, 1989 coup, Atienza’s death, 8,000 ft runway.
- Metro Cagayan de Oro Development: Lumbia Air Base renamed Colonel Godofredo Juliano Air Base (15 March 2026)Renaming; Juliano’s career; 15th Strike Wing (Trojans) and its squadrons. Local news site.
Figures verified 2026-09-30. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
Photographs: Photo: Senior Airman Mitchell Corley / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: SAC Adam Fletcher / UK MOD / Wikimedia Commons (OGL v1.0) · Photo: Philippine Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Yakitaki26 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Aeroprints.com / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Lawrence Ruiz / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Jerry Gunner from Lincoln, UK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: RoyKabanlit / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sebastian Romawac / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Sgt. Ariel J. Solomon / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photos: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (public domain) · Photo: ZLEA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)