JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- U.S. Air Force F-16s, aircrew, maintenance and support personnel deployed from Kunsan Air Base, Korea to Basa Air Base, Philippines Jan. 17 in order to fly and train with Philippine counterparts as part of a regularly reoccurring bilateral air contingent exchange (BACE-P).
This deployment marks the seventh iteration of BACE-P since its establishment in 2016 and is remarkable for its incorporation of fighter aircraft.
“We are excited and grateful for this opportunity to work with our close friends, partners and allies in the Philippine Air Force (PAF),” said Col. Christopher Faurot, Pacific Air Force (PACAF) BACE-P senior officer-in-charge. “Through this engagement, our bilateral forces will increase their interoperability and deepen relationships, which ultimately supports maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
In addition to interfly training between USAF F-16s and PAF FA-50s, Airmen will conduct subject matter expert exchanges on topics to include: intelligence, flightline, and maintenance backshop operations.
Previous iterations of BACE-P have been held across the Philippines at locations including Clark and Mactan Air Bases and involved aircraft to include: USAF A-10s, C-130s, HH-60s and U.S. Navy E/A 18 Growlers in order to exercise a range of airpower capabilities.