The Philippine Air Force (PAF) sent two FA-50 fighter planes to accompany President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his team on their way to New York on Sunday.
PAF stated in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the two planes accompanied the presidential flight for a few minutes above Polillo Island and up to 200 nautical miles on the eastern front of the Philippines.
“Fighter escorting, more than just a tradition, is an essential standard operating procedure to clear and secure our air space for the arrival and departure of the President of the Republic and other visiting heads of state,” read the statement from PAF.
The method, according to PAF, is also being used in other nations to increase the security of their respective presidential flights.
According to PAF spokesman Colonel Ma. Consuelo Castillo, this was the first time the FA-50 fighter planes escorted Marcos on a foreign trip. The president also paid state visits to Indonesia and Singapore from September 4 to 7, 2022.
“During the earlier presidential trips, our fighter jets had been committed for priority patrol missions elsewhere that needed its urgent presence and considering that we have limited aircraft, our government’s priority is for our aircraft to be utilized for such urgent and critical missions,” said Col. Castillo.
Marcos traveled to the United States on a six-day business visit, which included attending the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. On September 24, the President will return to the Philippines.
According to Castillo, the PAF is reportedly planning another fighter escort mission for Marcos’ return trip to the nation.
After accompanying Marcos’ trip on Sunday, the Philippine Air Force said the two fighter planes resumed routine maritime patrols to protect the country from unwanted incursions within the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone.
Maritime patrols were also conducted within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone to monitor advancements and unlawful activity.
