DARWIN, Australia –
The Philippine Air Force arrived in northern Australia on Wednesday for its first overseas deployment in 60 years for combat exercises involving US and Australian fighter jets amid rising tensions with China in the South China Sea.
Four Philippine FA-50 fighter jets and 162 crew members are taking part in the Pitch Black war games over Australia’s largely uninhabited Northern Territory. Twenty countries and 140 aircraft are involved.
“This is the first time they have taken their fighter aircraft overseas since 1963 and it is a great honour for Australia to be chosen as the first location for this deployment,” said Pete Robinson, Air Commodore of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
