Philippines gets 1st fighter jets in a decade amid sea feud
The Philippines has taken delivery of the first two Korean-made fighter jets, the country's first supersonic combat aircraft in a decade, as it strengthens its military amid a territorial conflict with China.
The Philippine military says the FA-50 jets touched down Saturday at Clark Freeport, a former U.S. Air Force base north of Manila, to applause from security officials led by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. It bought a total of 12.
Gazmin says: "We're glad we're finally back to supersonic age."
The Philippine military, one of Asia's least equipped, has been building up its air force and navy at a time of an escalating territorial feud with Beijing in the South China Sea.
