Talk:Philippine Air Force/Temp
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is the air force of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino (Tagalog) is Hukbong Panghimpapawid ng Pilipinas.
History[edit]
The Philippine Air Force was established on July 1, 1947, making it one of the earliest independent air forces in Asia. It was also one of the best-equipped air forces during the 1950s and 1960s, with its P-51D Mustangs, and F-86D/F Sabre jets.
Aircraft[edit]
At present the backbone of the PAF inventory consists of:
- Aermacchi S-211 for ground support and jet training
- Aermacchi SF-260TP/WP for primary training and counter-insurgency (COIN)
- North American Rockwell OV-10A/D Bronco for light ground attack
- Hughes MG-520 Defender and Sikorsky S-76 attack helicopters
- Lockheed C-130B/H Hercules, and Bell UH-1H Huey helicopters for transport duties
- Fokker F28, mainly for the official domestic trips of the president of the Philippines
- Fokker F-27, mainly as support to the C-130s
- Cessna T-41, used for primary training
Wherever possible the PAF has relied on local skills for modification projects as in the recent Huey II program.
The Philippine Air Force retired its fleet of F-5A/B Freedom Fighters with a ceremony on October 1, 2005.
Organization in 2006[edit]
| 15th Strike Wing | HQ, Maj. Danillo S. Atienza AB, Sangley Point, Cavite |
|---|---|
| 16th Attack Squadron (Eagles) | OV-10A/C/M |
| 17th Attack Squadron (Jaguars) | SF.260TP |
| 18th Tactical Air Support Squadron (Falcons) | MD 520MG |
| 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron | MD 520MG |
| 25th Attack Squadron | OV-10A/C/M |
| 5th Tactical Fighter Group | Basa AB, Pampanga |
| 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Bulldogs) | S.211 |
| 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing | HQ, Benito Ebuen AB, Mactan Island, Cebu |
| 206th Tactical Helicopter Squadron (Hornets) | UH-1 |
| 207th Tactical Helicopter Squadron (Stingers) | UH-1 |
| 208th Tactical Helicopter Squadron (Daggers) | UH-1 |
| 220th Airlift Wing | HQ, Benito Ebuen AB, Mactan Island, Cebu |
| 221st Tactical Airlift Squadron (Fokkers) | Fokker F-27 |
| 222nd Tactical Airlift Squadron (Hercules) | C-130B/H |
| 223rd Tactical Airlift Squadron (Nomads) | N-22B/C Nomad |
| PAF Flying School | Fernando AB, Lipa |
| 101st Primary Flying Training Sqn (Layang) | T-41D/Cessna 172 |
| 102nd Basic Flying Training Sqn (Musang) | SF.260MP |
| 505th Search and Rescue Group (Angels) | HQ, Col. Jesus A. Villamor AB, Pasay City, Metro Manila |
| 5051st Search and Rescue Squadron | Huey II, Bell 205, S-76, UH-1H |
| 5052nd Search and Rescue Squadron | Huey II, Bell 205, S-76, UH-1H |
| 5053rd Search and Rescue Squadron | Huey II, Bell 205, S-76, UH-1H |
| 5056th Search and Rescue Squadron | Huey II, Bell 205, S-76, UH-1H |
| 250th Presidential Airlift Wing (Code one) | Col. Jesus A. Villamor AB, Pasay City, Metro Manila |
| 251nd Presidential Airlift Squadron | Fokker F28 |
| 252nd Presidential Helicopter Squadron | S-76, S-70A, Bell 212, Bell 412 |
| 900th Weather Support Group | Col. Jesus A. Villamor AB, Pasay City, Metro Manila |
| 901st Weather Squadron | Cessna T-210TG |
Expansion[edit]
The planned purchase of modern fighter aircraft, with the F-16 Fighting Falcon, JAS 39C/D Gripen, F/A-18 Hornet, or the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle being the most popular choices, has been put on hold as the PAF concentrates in bringing its current fleet of aircraft into current and flyable standards. However, Air Force officials are trying to acquire surplus F-5E/F Tiger II [1][2] [3] aircraft from various countries as an interim solution to its need for fighter aircraft.
Current efforts are concentrated on the acquisition of aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) operations. The purchase of 6 second hand attack helicopters is given the highest priority, with ex-USMC AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters being the top choice. The purchase of more transport aircraft is also a priority.
Air Bases[edit]
The Philippine Air Force has nine air bases located throughout the Philippine archipelago:
- Clark Air Base, Pampanga
- Cesar Basa Air Base, Pampanga
- Jesus Villamor Air Base, Pasay City
- Danilo Atienza Air Base, Cavite
- Fernando Air Base, Batangas
- Antonio Bautista Air Base, Palawan
- Benito Ebuen Air Base, Cebu
- Edwin Andrews Air Base, Zamboanga
- Rajah Buayan Air Base, General Santos City, South Cotabato
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
[[Category:Air forces]] [[Category:Military of the Philippines]] [[fr:Philippine Air Force]] [[ja:フィリピン空軍]]