- Base loses contact with FA-50 combat aircraft, two pilots during tactical operation
THE PHILIPPINE Air Force (PAF) launched an extensive search and rescue operation for the two pilots when their FA-50 fighter jet lost contact shortly after midnight on March 4, 2025, during a tactical night operation.
“A major development in the Philippine Air Force. Shortly after midnight on March 4, 2025, an FA-50 fighter jet went missing during a tactical night operation,” PAF spokesperson Colonel Ma. Consuelo Castillo said on March 4.
“The aircraft lost communication with the rest of the flight involved in the mission minutes before reaching the target area.”
According to Castillo, the other aircraft involved in the mission repeatedly attempted to reestablish contact with the missing jet until their return to Mactan Air Base in Cebu.
“The Philippine Air Force is conducting extensive and thorough search operations, utilizing all available resources to locate the missing jet fighter aircraft. Our primary concern right now is the safe return of our aircrew,” Castillo emphasized. “We are hopeful of locating them and the aircraft soon and ask you to join us in prayer during this critical time. Further details will be provided once they are available.”
She declined to give further details to maintain operational security.
While she confirmed the pilots have personal locator beacons, Castillo did not disclose whether they were emitting a signal. She also confirmed that the location of the missing aircraft is over land.
“Right now, what we can only say what was said a while ago that the operations went on and the flight went back to Mactan,” she said when asked about the aircraft’s last known location.
While other aircraft were involved in the mission and successfully returned to Mactan Air Base, Castillo did not disclose the exact number of aircraft involved.
“We are hopeful that we will still be able to recover. We are more concerned about the safety of the aircrew right now, and we are still very optimistic that they are safe,” Castillo said, declining to speculate on whether the aircraft had crashed.
Regarding the remaining 11 FA-50s in the PAF’s fleet, Castillo stated, “Right now, there is no declaration yet” regarding grounding them.
The FA-50 was part of a flight of three fighter jets that took off from Mactan Air Base at approximately 11:34 p.m. Forty nautical miles from the target, the flight lead lost contact with the aircraft.
Attempts to establish radio contact with the missing aircraft were unsuccessful. Nonetheless, the pilot continued with their mission and dropped ordnance on the target.
During the return flight to Mactan, further attempts to contact FA-50 yielded no response.
The FA-50s landed safely at Mactan Air Base at approximately 12:49 a.m. Further attempts to contact the FA-50 yielded no response.
The Tactical Operations Group (TOG) X was notified to initiate a search and rescue operation. Davao and General Santos TOGs were contacted to check for any possible emergency landings.
Moreover, in a message to TIMES, Maj. Gen. Michele Anayron Jr., commander of the 4th Infantry Division, said that they are currently conducting focused military operations.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) was also contacted to monitor for any distress signals. Further details regarding the search and rescue efforts will be released as they become available.
