KAI Wins $64.5m Deal to Upgrade Philippine FA-50 Fighters

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has landed a 93 billion won ($64.5 million) contract to modernize 11 FA-50PH light attack jets operated by the Philippine Air Force, cementing one of South Korea's most durable defense export relationships in Southeast Asia.

The so-called performance improvement project will run until 2029 and covers aircraft delivered to Manila between 2015 and 2017. KAI said the work will sharpen the fleet's guided-munitions capabilities, extend its operating range and improve its ability to plug into joint combat networks, alongside follow-on maintenance support.

The upgrade builds on a long courtship between the two sides. Manila ordered 12 FA-50PHs in 2014, then placed a follow-on order for another 12 aircraft in June 2025. One of the original jets was destroyed in a fatal crash in March 2025.

"This contract is an opportunity to once again confirm the trust and cooperative relationship between the Philippine air force and KAI," said company chief executive Cha Jae-byung, adding that the firm would keep expanding its footprint in the global defense market through tailored upgrades and support programs.

The deal also strengthens KAI's pitch for a bigger prize. Its developmental KF-21 fighter is a contender for the Philippines' long-standing requirement for a multirole combat aircraft, where it faces competition from the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 and Saab's Gripen E/F.

Separately, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration has said roughly 700 billion won will be invested between December 2025 and December 2028 to test around 10 air-to-ground weapon types on the KF-21, part of a broader push to widen the aircraft's strike capabilities and export appeal.