KAI FA-50PH Golden Eagle - Defeating the Competition

WreckingAres283 · October 13, 2024, 5:02pm

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KAI FA-50PH Golden Eagle - Defeating the Competition

Hi and welcome to my 81st, which is about the Philippine FA-50PH, hope you like it. :popcorn:

First of all:

Feel free to share more Information and / or correct me if something is wrong
Discuss respectfully, any aggressive kind or verbal abuse will be reported, the Forum rules also apply here

Background History

The T-50 program was all about creating an indigenous trainer that could fly at supersonic speeds. Its main purpose was to get pilots ready for planes like the F-16 and F-15, taking over from the old T-38 and A-37 trainers the ROKAF was using. The lineage of the T-50 series, particularly the FA-50 variant, bears a striking resemblance to the configuration of the KF-16. The groundwork for this endeavor, termed the KTX-2 program and initiated in 1992, faced a setback in 1995 when financial constraints led to its suspension by the Ministry of Finance and Economy. Nonetheless, the basic design for the aircraft was established by 1999.
Funding came mostly from the South Korean government (70%), with KAI chipping in (17%) and Lockheed Martin (13%). The T-50 got its official name, the “T-50 Golden Eagle,” in February 2000. The U.S. military saved the “T-50A” name to avoid mix-ups. The first T-50 has been assembled between in 2001 and took its first flight in August 2002. KAI and Lockheed Martin were working together to sell the T-50 globally. In December 2003, the ROKAF signed up for 25 T-50s, expecting them between 2005 and 2009.
The first T-50s had Lockheed Martin’s AN/APG-67(v)4 radar and a F404-GE-102 engine with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) made by Samsung Techwin under license.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) selected 12 FA-50 fighter aircraft to meet its light attack and lead-in fighter trainer needs. Originally announced in 2012 as a TA-50 purchase, the FA-50PH variant was confirmed in January 2013. By March 2014, a contract worth $421 million was signed, and deliveries began in November 2015, concluding by May 2017. The aircraft were used in combat, including strikes against terrorist groups in Mindanao in 2017, and in later operations such as an anti-ship exercise in 2020.
During Pitch Black 2024, FA-50PHs of the Philippine Air Force are said to have beaten Gripen C/Ds of the Royal Thai Air Force 10-7 in dogfights.

Armament of the FA-50PH

The armament of the FA-50PH is relatively similar to that of the other Golden Eagles from the ASEAN region. The Philippine variant, however, has AGM-65G2 Mavericks, interestingly AIM-9Bs, as well as the European AIM-9L/i - All-Aspect AIM-9L with IRCCM.
The on-board armament is still a three-barreled M61A1 with 205 rounds.

Air-to-Air Missiles

2x AIM-9B
2x AIM-9L/i

Dumb-Bombs / Rockets

6-8x Mk.82
2-4x LAU-3

Air-to-Ground Missiles

2-4x AGM-65G-2

grafik

Specifications, Electronics and Internal

Crew: 2
Length: 13.13 m
Wingspan: 9.45 m
Height: 4.85 m
Max. takeoff weight: 12.383 kg
Powerplant: 1x F404-GE-102
- Dry thrust: 53.07 kN
- Afterburner thrust: 78.7 kN
Maximum speed: Mach 1.5
Service ceiling: 16.700 m
Rate of climb: 198 m/s
Thrust to weight: 0.96
Maximum g-load: +8g / -3g

Thanks for your time, hope you liked it :salute:
[Will add more if there are some (more) important / declassified things]
[PM or comment if a Link or Picture isn´t working]

Sources:

Links

DEFENSE STUDIES: Hasil penelusuran untuk FA-50PH
필리핀에 FA-50 전투기 수출한 KAI…해외 첫 후속 군수지원 사업 따내 -디지틀조선일보(디조닷컴 dizzo.com)
https://www.pacaf.af.mil/News/Article-Display/article/3332392/
AAG_th บันทึกประจำวัน: ฟิลิปปินส์มองการจัดหาเครื่องบินขับไล่โจมตี FA-50PH จากเกาหลีใต้เพิ่มเติม
KAI T-50 and FA-50 Golden Eagle | Thai Military and Asian Region
Balikatan live-fire drill participants sink retired WWII corvette | Philippine News Agency
DND acquires 'Sidewinder' air-to-air missiles | Philippine News Agency
Philippine Air Force receives AIM-9L/I-1 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, AGM-65G2 Maverick air-to-ground missiles ~ MaxDefense Philippines

List of Suggestions of ASEAN region

UnknownVariable · January 1, 2025, 6:29am

ITS HERE!! Immediate +1, now we wait for the Malaysian FA-50 Block 20

UnknownVariable · May 21, 2025, 3:45pm

It looks like it gets access to CCIP which would make sense why the Phil. Air Force had been using dumb bombs instead of Paveway IIs on the FA-50PH. Cant wholly confirm it though if it indeed is from an FA-50 cockpit but theres a big chance it is, the AS.211 afaik dont have CCIP and the OV-10 still has an analog cockpit (despite being able to use Paveways).

Edit: Ive confirmed its from an FA-50PH, the video source is now gone (the channel was deleted by youtube) but a post in reddit says where they got it from and confirms its an FA-50PH cockpit

PlayedStatue626-live · May 21, 2025, 4:42pm

+1 Where do y’all reckon this would end up?

UnknownVariable · May 21, 2025, 5:13pm

Probably wherever ASEAN would be implemented. Personally prefer it to be like a sidegrade when the Thai T-50TH gets added but another potential one is within the United Korean tech tree (this one specifically is also in the proposed tech tree).

UnknownVariable · June 7, 2025, 11:00pm

Interesting to note however is the tail emblem design on some of the airframes. Credits to Efrain Noel Morota Aviation Photography:

Its got an alternative emblem of the 5th Tactical Fighter Wing with the quote “Noli Me Tangere” emblazoned on top. The quote means “Touch Me Not” in english and is the title of the first novel that our national hero, Jose Rizal wrote - that led to the short-lived 1st Philippine Republic.

Pretty cool if I say so myself.

Edit:

You know what, that guy takes such cool photos and makes awesome graphics, im gonna post some here lol

UnknownVariable · June 9, 2025, 3:13pm

The FA-50 should be able to bring GBU-12 Paveway IIs as can be seen here:

This was also alluded to KAI’s presentation with the definitions on possible FA-50 upgrades (Block 50 brings the T-50 to FA-50 Block 10 standards, and so on (Block 10 is the first major production block)):

Technically speaking, since the FA-50PH was already made as Block 10 right from the factory, it can actually use a Sniper ATP / LITENING II Targeting Pod but the PAF never bought them so it isnt present on the FA-50PH.

Compared to the ROKAF’s FA-50, the FA-50PH is essentially a slight downgrade and in-game, without buddy lasing, the Paveway IIs are going to be next to useless (well it can still be used via GPS but you have CCIP).

From ADEX 2019, KAI released this photo which is CGI but should give out the best extent of the ROKAF’s FA-50 Block 10 (not sure with the TERs on the Paveways though, would look later if ROKAF did have TERs for them):

ADDENDUM:

Seems like ROKAF’s FA-50 does have TER for its bombs:

Sources:

https://x.com/del_lorenzana/status/1390271472321523714

Anonymous4245 · June 10, 2025, 5:28am

Off-topic, but kind of funny how you can pinpoint exactly which airbase this hangar is