FA-50 crash leads to grounding, pilots honored

Two Philippine Air Force pilots who died when their FA-50 fighter jet crash-landed in Bukidnon have been posthumously awarded the Distinguished Aviation Cross for their dedicated service.

Major Jude Salang-Oy and 1st Lieutenant April John Dadulla were honored with arrival honors at Villamor Air Base, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was represented by Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr.

The tragic loss of the pilots has raised concerns about the safety and reliability of FA-50 fighter jets; the entire fleet is currently grounded as a precautionary measure until further notice.

Despite this recent accident, there are plans to purchase additional FA-50s as part of the AFP modernization program under review by the Department of National Defense (DND).

The importance of these aircraft in national defense was highlighted during operations like the Marawi siege and patrols over the West Philippine Sea.

As investigations continue into the crash, military officials remain committed to ensuring thorough safety measures are implemented to prevent similar incidents from occurring.