00:00The four F-A-50 fighter jets of the Philippines are already in Australia for the 2024 Pitch Block Exercises.
00:09It's a historic occasion because it's the first time fighter jets have been sent to the country for multilateral exercises.
00:18From Darwin, Australia, we have Chino Gaston. Chino?
00:23Mel, the largest multilateral exercises or Pitch Block will be held here in Darwin, Australia,
00:34where 21 countries, including the Philippines, will send their newest fighter jets and aircraft.
00:42Four F-A-50 fighter jets of the Philippines arrived in Darwin, Australia this afternoon
00:50for the 2024 Pitch Block Exercises with the Air Force of 20 other countries.
00:57The Filipino pilots are proud to be part of the training where they will be accompanied by allies
01:04such as Australia, US, UK, France, Canada, and Japan.
01:09From the runway, the F-A-50 jets took a taxi to the place where other fighter jets from other countries,
01:17such as the F-16, F-18, and F-35 fighter jets, will be accommodated.
01:22At the opening of the canopy of the airplane, the flag of the Philippines and the host country, Australia, was displayed.
01:29The Korean flag of the support crew was also displayed as a recognition of the country that made the F-A-50 jets of the Philippines.
01:38The fighter jets flew from East Indonesia where they temporarily stopped yesterday due to bad weather.
01:46This is a very important milestone for us.
01:49First of all, we want to enhance our operational readiness and also, of course,
01:55the commitment for this regional security and stability operations that we want to do.
02:02And most especially, sir, is that we want to strengthen the international collaboration.
02:07The Philippines' participation in the Pitch Black 2024 exercises here in Darwin, Australia, was a great success
02:12because for the first time ever, the Philippine Air Force sent its own F-A-50 fighter jets.
02:18It's a reflection of what the Philippines Air Force might learn from the other nations here,
02:23but it's also a reflection of what we'll learn from the Philippines Air Force as well.
02:27So as we go through the exercise...
02:33Mel, the Pitch Black exercises will last until August,
02:37where friends of the country will get used to aerial combat, air interdiction, and flying even at night.
02:44From Darwin, Australia, for GMA Integrated News, Chino Gaston reporting for 24 Hours.
02:51Thank you very much, Chino Gaston.
03:02For more information visit www.fema.gov
Comments