Philippine Air Force

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Philippine Air Force
Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas

Philippine Air Force Emblem

Founded

July 1, 1947 (as an independent service)

Country

Republic of the Philippines

Type

Air force

Part of

Armed Forces of the Philippines

Headquarters

Villamor Air Base, Pasay City

Nickname

PAF

Motto

The "First Force"

March

Air Force Hymn

Engagements

World War II

Commanders

Commander of the Philippine Air Force

Lieutenant General Pedrito Cadungog

Insignia

Roundel

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is the air force of the Philippines. Its official name in the Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas.

1 History
2 Modernization
3 Aircraft
4 Organization in 2006
5 Air Bases
6 References
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] History

The Philippine Air Force became a separate military service on July 1, 1947, when President Manuel Roxas issued Executive Order No. 94. This order created the Philippine Naval Patrol and the Air Force as equal branches of the Philippine Army and the Philippine Constabulary. The Air Force was preceded by the:

Philippine Air Service
Philippine Constabulary Air Corps (no aircraft)
Philippine Army Air Corps

[edit] World War I and Inter-War Years

Although the Philippines did not have its own air corps as of yet during World War I, Filipino volunteers from the Philippine National Guard were accepted for flight training at Fort Mills on Corregidor, which was then home to the 1st Company, 2nd Squadron of the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. By February 1918, these volunteers finished their ground schooling and were ready for flight training in the United States. On March 15, Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison's request for flight training for these volunteers would be denied as there were no more planes available.

These volunteers were then assigned to Fort Stotsenburg as part of the Artillery Corps of the Philippine National Guard. After the War, the National Guard was disbanded. Surplus material from the war was sold to the Philippine Militia Commission (PMC). Now equipped with aircraft, the PMC commissioned the Curtiss School of Aviation to provide flight training to 33 students at Camp Claudio in Parañaque, ten Philippine Constabulary officers and 23 recruits from the National Guard. On April 26, 1920, Lieutenant Leoncio Malinao became the first locally-trained Filipino military pilot to go on a solo flight.

On July 7, 1920, the Council of State established the Philippine Air Service, which was tasked to provide air mail and passenger flights between Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, and Zamboanga. In 1921, the Service was forced to shut down due to lack of funds.

On January 2, 1935, Brigadier General Basilio J. Valdes formally organized the Philippine Constabulary Air Corps, which was tasked to provide reconnaissance support to the Philippine Constabulary. On December 23, the National Defense Act of 1935 provided for the creation of the Philippine Army, which was to be composed of the Philippine Constabulary; the Constabulary Air Corps which became the Philippine Army Air Corps.

Up until the beginning of the Pacific War, the Army Air Corps focused on training pilots and on acquiring aircraft and facilities. Air Corps instructors were tasked to train both Filipino and American pilots. A prominent student was Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower, who took flying lessons, while serving a tour of duty as part of General Douglas MacArthur's staff.

[edit] World War II

Shortly before the Pacific War began, the Army Air Corps was absorbed by the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). At that time, the Air Corps had 142 pilots, 1,700 enlisted men, and four airfields: Zablan Field (east portion of Camp Murphy which is now known as Camp Aguinaldo), Maniquis Field in Nueva Ecija, Batangas Field, and Lahug Field in Cebu.

On December 8, 1941, the Japanese attacked Clark Airfield. Two squadrons of Boeing B-17s and a squadron of P-40 fighters and other assorted aircraft were destroyed. By December 9, the Army Air Corps's 6th Pursuit Squadron at Batangas Field under Captain Jesus Villamor was the only intact aviation unit in the USAFFE.

The 6th Pursuit Squadron (later on it became 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron) then proceeded to engage the Japanese in dogfights over Manila and Batangas. The squadron possibly shot down two enemy fighters and a bomber, but these kills are unconfirmed. First Lieutenant Cesar Basa, after whom Basa Air Base in Pampanga is named, was the only one in the squadron not to survive the battle.

Villamor went on to gather intelligence for the Allied forces. He would later receive the Distinguished Service Cross; his men would receive the Silver Star with an oak leaf cluster. After the war, the Philippine government honored Villamor with the Medal of Valor as well as his squadron, with the Gold Cross with Bronze Anahaw Leaf.

With much of its aircraft gone, the Army Air Corps was then ordered by General Jonathan Wainwright to destroy its remaining planes and join the retreat to Bataan.

After General MacArthur landed in Leyte, the remaining Army Air Corps pilots were sent to Leyte and subsequently to the United States for refresher flight training. Undergraduate cadets of the Flying School were also sent to the United States. When they returned to the Philippines, the Air Corps was reorganized by Lieutenant Colonel John Ryan of the U.S. Army Air Corps, who was also acting chief of the Philippine Army Air Corps until Lt. Col. Edwin Andrews arrived in the Philippines.

In September 1945, the Air Corps regained flying status when the 1st Troop Carrier Squadron at the Lipa Army Air Base in Batangas was activated with two Douglas C-47s. By January 1946, the squadron had 22 such aircraft.

[edit] Communist Insurgency and the Cold War

P-51 Mustangs of the Philippine Air Force circa 1950's

After Philippine independence was granted on July 4, 1946, the Hukbalahap rebellion would become the predominant focus of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. To quell the insurgency, the Air Force primarily employed the North American P-51D Mustang.

At the height of the Cold War, the Philippine Air Force would become one of the best-equipped air forces in Asia, and would remain such for over three decades. At one point, the Air Force had more P-51 Mustangs than it had pilots.^[1]

Jet aircraft were introduced to the inventory in 1954 when Colonel Godofredo Juliano, Majors Pestaña and Rancudo, and Captain Jose Gil flew an initial batch of T-33 jet trainer aircraft from Japan. These aircraft landed at Clark Air Base as the PAF's Basa Air Base was not yet able to handle jet aircraft.

In 1956, the PAF acquired several squadrons of F-86F Sabres, which became ready for combat after proficiency flights and aerial exercises with the 13th Air Force at Clark Air Base.

In 1953, 1Lt. Jose Gonzalez and other pilots from the 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 5th Fighter Wing at Basa Air Base formed the Blue Diamonds, a group of pilots which excelled in precision aerobatic flying. The Blue Diamonds first used the P-51s, then the F-86s, and finally, the F-5s. It was considered the Philippine counterpart to the USAF Thunderbirds.

By the 1960s the Philippine Air Force was totally dependent on the United States for equipment and funding, that the Philippine Air Force could be candidly referred to as the "United States Air Force run by Filipinos."^[2] An extensive radar network had been activated across the country, and the first batch of F-5 Freedom Fighters armed with AIM-9B "Sidewinder" missiles had arrived.

In 1962, United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld asked the Philippine Government to send a tactical air squadron to neutralize secessionists in the Congo. In 1963, Filipino, Swedish, and Iranian fighter units secured the airspace over the Congo. This earned the Limbas Squadron the United Nations Service Medal.

In the same year, the PAF sent a mercy mission to Bali, Indonesia after Mount Agung erupted. Air Force paramedics, including a team of doctors and nurses from the Department of Health, treated and vaccinated thousands of evacuees in a field hospital. Seven Douglas C-47s ferried the team along with medical supplies and relief goods.

In the 1970s, the PAF had a complete array of bases and airfields, including landing strips in the Sulu Sea and the Kalayaan Islands. This Marks the glory days of the Philippine Air Force not only in the Armed Forces of the Philippines but second in Asia.

After the Hukbalahap insurgency was quelled, the focus turned its attention to the New People's Army (NPA) and the Moro National Liberation Front. The Air Force would play a significant role in the continuing effort to destroy the NPA. One of the most significant battles against the NPA occurred in November 1972 during the Battle of Sibalu Hill in Jolo, Sulu. During this operation, numerous waves of F-5 and F-86 fighters, as well as T-33 jets and C-47 gunships, took to the skies from Mactan for Jolo every minute, continuously bombarding the insurgent camp.

In late 1977, the Philippine Air Force acquired 35 F-8P Crusaders (refurbished F-8H Crusaders). As part of the deal, the United States Air Force would train Filipino pilots in the TF-8A. The F-8s were withdrawn from service beginning in 1988 and were finally withdrawn from service in 1991, after they were badly damaged by the Mount Pinatubo eruption. They have since been offered for sale as scrap.

[edit] 1986 People Power Revolution

The Air Force also played a significant role in the success of the 1986 People Power Revolution. On February 24, 1986, at the height of the revolution, Colonel Antonio Sotelo defected the 15th Strike Wing to the Ramos-Enrile camp, taking with him his squadron's Sikorsky S-76 gunships. Later in the day, Captain Wilfredo Evangelista of that particular wing fired warning shots at Malacañang Palace; at noon, three other gunships disabled the Marcos forces at Villamor Air Base.

[edit] Wars fought in

[edit] Modernization

By the time the United States Armed Forces left the Philippines, the Philippine Air Force was direly in need of modernization. By the 1990s, it was still using 30-year-old F-5A fighter jets. The first aircraft to be acquired during its five-year modernization plan were the Aermacchi S-211, and the McDonnell Douglas MD-520MG Defender.

During those 1990s era, PAF also had planned to purchase modern fighter aircraft, when the modernization law was enacted, and in 1992 received offers for both the IAI Kfir^[3] and the F-16 Fighting Falcon^[3]. In 1996, PAF was also offered secondhand French Dassault Mirage F-1s, SU-27 Flanker from Russia and Denel Cheetahs from South Africa, though these offers where later rejected.^[4] McDonnell Douglas also proposed a more expensive solution in the form of eight new-build F-18C/Ds. Other aircraft under consideration include the Dassault Mirage 2000 and MAPO-MiG MiG-29.^[4] However, these modernization programs have been put on hold, as the Philippines' economy was influenced by the Asian monetary crisis in 1998.

As the service focuses on the current Internal Security Operations (ISO) of the AFP, current efforts are concentrated on the acquisition of aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) operations, in particular, more helicopter gunships and transport aircraft. The PAF has put up a requirement for Night Capable Attack Helicopters (NCAH),^[5] and a replacement for the UH-1H, with 8 units planned initially.^[5] There is also a requirement for additional T-41 and SF-260 training aircraft.^[6]

In 2007, the Philippine Air Force sent a delegation to China upon the formal invitation of China Aviation Industry Corp. (CATIC). The five-man team, led by Major General Pedro Ike Insierto, inspected the company's line of utility helicopters and fixed-wing transport aircraft. Lieutenant General Horacio Tolentino, Air Force chief at the time, clarified that the inspection did not signify an intent to purchase the aircraft being offered.^[7]

On May 12, 2008, the Philippine Air Force signed a contract with Alenia Aermacchi to order 18 brand new units of SF-260 military trainers to be assembled at Clark Air Base at a contract price of 14.6 million US Dollars.^[8]

[edit] Aircraft

This section titled "Aircraft" needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008)

At present the backbone of the PAF inventory consists of:

17 Aermacchi S-211 - for ground support and jet training
18 Aermacchi SF-260 - piston engined variant
7 Aermacchi SF-260TP/-WP - for primary training and counter-insurgency (COIN)
10 North American OV-10A/C Bronco - for light ground attack
17 McDonnell Douglas MD-520MG Defender - attack helicopter^[9]
1 Sikorsky S-70A Blackhawk - multirole helicopter
4 Sikorsky S-76 Spirit - multirole helicopters
3 Lockheed Martin C-130B/H Hercules - heavy transport aircraft
2 Fokker F27 Friendship - mainly as support to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules
2 GAF Nomad - light transport aircraft
18^{[citation needed]} Britten-Norman Islander - light transport aircraft
1 Fokker F28 Fellowship - mainly for the official domestic trips of the president of the Philippines
14 Cessna T-41 Mescalero - used for primary training
84 Bell UH-1H Iroquois - for transport duties^[10]
13 Bell 205 - for light transport duties^[11]
8 Bell 412 - for VIP transport
2 RQ-5 Hunter^{[citation needed]} - UAV reconnaissance aircraft

Wherever possible the PAF has relied on local skills for modification projects, as in the recent Huey II program. However only 2 Hueys were modified in that program, which may not be continued.^{[citation needed]}

The Philippine Air Force retired its fleet of Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter with a ceremony on October 1, 2005. The F-5s were used by the PAF's "Blue Diamonds" aerobatics team,^[12] and have appeared in several films and television programs shot in the Philippines.

At one point, the PAF also operated 25 F-8H Crusaders -- the most advanced fighter aircraft to see service in the PAF to date.^{[dubious – discuss]} These have since been retired, and the airframes are now being sold for scrap.^[13]

With the retirement of the F-5s and the scrapping of the F-8s, the PAF no longer operates any fighter aircraft. This situation is likely to continue for years to come as the Government of the Philippines has no plans to procure fighter aircraft until 2015^[14].

In 1992, the Philippine Air Force received 24 OV-10A Broncos from USAF's AMARC, replacing the AT-28D as the PAF's main air to ground aircraft to complement the MG-520s of the 15th Strike Wing based at Sangley Air Base, Cavite City. These OV-10s have been credited with numerous air strikes against the MILF, MNLF, Abu Sayaff, and NPA rebel forces, with zero losses during these sorties. Most PAF OV-10 losses have been due to pilot errors, malpractice and mishandling, with aircrew losses mostly coming from the second batch onwards(almost all of the original PAF OV-10 pilots are either on administrative duty or have left the PAF for civilian jobs).

In 2004, shortly after the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) retired their OV-10C Broncos (a Bronco variant made specifically for them), 8 out of 35 planes in their inventory were transferred to the PAF to complement the dwindling number of airworthy OV-10As in service with the PAF.^[15].

[edit] Organization in 2006

[15th Strike Wing] [3]	HQ, Maj. Danillo S. Atienza AB, Sangley Point, Cavite)[4]
16th Attack Squadron (Eagles))[5]	OV-10A/C/M
17th Attack Squadron (Jaguars))[6]	SF.260TP
18th Attack Squadron (Falcons))[7]	MD-520MG
20th Attack Squadron (Firebirds))[8]	MD-520MG
25th Attack Squadron (Lobos)[9])	OV-10A/C/M
Air Defense Wing	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)	S-70A
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
100th Training Wing	Fernando AB, Lipa
101st Primary Flying Training Sqn (Wildcat)	T-41D/Cessna 172-k
102nd Basic Flying Training Sqn (Cougar)	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
251st 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