The Philippine Air Force (PAF) confirmed on Tuesday that one of its FA-50 fighter jets went missing over Cebu province while conducting tactical night operations against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.

The aircraft, one of 12 delivered between 2015 and 2017, lost communication with the rest of the flight group shortly before reaching the target area at midnight on Monday.

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said the aircraft was part of a coordinated operation with other fighter jets.

“The other aircraft made repeated attempts to reestablish contact with the missing jet but were unsuccessful up to the time they returned to Mactan, Cebu,” Castillo said.

The PAF has launched an extensive search operation, deploying all available resources, including aerial and ground units, to find the missing jet and its crew of two.

Search and rescue teams were dispatched to a possible crash site in a mountainous area in Bukidnon, according to the PAF.

“We remain hopeful the crew is safe, and we are working tirelessly to locate them. We kindly ask for your prayers during this critical time,” Castillo said.

“We are not disclosing the tail number of the aircraft, but we can confirm this is the first significant event involving our fighter jets,” she added.

The mission was part of the PAF’s ongoing support for ground operations conducted by the Philippine Army.

Operation against NPA rebels

The missing FA-50 fighter jet was supporting the Philippine Army in a focused military operation against the NPA’s North Central Mindanao Regional Committee in Barangay Iba, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.

Col. Louie Dema-ala, spokesperson for the Philippine Army, confirmed the aircraft was providing close air support to troops engaged in a firefight with NPA rebels on Monday night.

“Yes, the FA-50 was providing air support for our engaged troops on the ground,” Dema-ala said in a message.

The military operation in Cabanglasan targeted the NPA positions as part of the Army’s efforts to dismantle the communist insurgency in the region.

Maj. Francisco Gallergo Jr., spokesperson for the 4th Infantry Division, said the Army had requested air support to ensure the safety of its forces and minimize casualties.

“Our troops were going after between 30 and 60 NPA members in the area, and the air support was crucial to neutralizing the threat without putting our ground forces in greater danger,” Gallergo said.

The NPA is known to be highly mobile and difficult to track, and military officials believe the insurgents constantly relocate to avoid direct confrontation with government forces.

As of the latest reports, no casualties have been reported from the military side, but the Army continues to track the movements of the remaining NPA members.

What FA-50 can do

The FA-50, a versatile light combat aircraft, has been instrumental in a range of military operations. It boasts long-range detection capabilities, advanced avionics, and a variety of weapons that enables it to conduct air-to-ground strikes and combat training missions.

The aircraft has proven effective in counterinsurgency operations, having been used extensively during the Marawi siege in 2017 and in numerous other combat missions against both local insurgents and terrorist groups.

In the case of the missing aircraft, its role in providing air superiority and targeting critical rebel positions was essential to the success of the military mission.