After being in the limelight for all the good reasons, South Korean fighter jets may have suffered a massive upset this week. A day after a South Korean-origin FA-50 fighter jet belonging to the Philippines Air Force (PAF) crashed, a South Korean F-16 accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian location.
In light of the circumstances, the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) announced on March 7 that it was grounding almost all of its aircraft, excluding aircraft responsible for reconnaissance operations and emergency responses, as reported by the South Korean Yonhap News Agency.
In a tragic accident on March 6, two South Korean KF-16 fighter jets inadvertently dropped eight bombs outside a training range in Pocheon (about 40 kilometres north of the capital Seoul) during a live-fire drill between South Korea and the United States. The designation KF-16 refers to F-16C/Ds that are locally assembled in South Korea.
According to a statement from the RoKAF, the 500-pound MK-82 bombs dropped by the KF-16 fighter jets were not within a shooting range. The bombs injured 15 people and ended up damaging two residential buildings and a religious service building.
An unidentified South Korean Defense Ministry source attributed the accident to pilot error, stating that the pilot allegedly entered incorrect coordinates. The source added that it was not clear why the second aircraft dropped munitions on the civilian location.
Until the cause of the unintentional bombing is determined by an internal inquiry, which is not expected to take long, the flight limitations will likely remain in place. The decision was taken after Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-su apologised for the bombing and pledged to develop preventative measures and mandate safety training for all pilots. All live-fire training has been halted by the military until the reason of the mishap is determined.
The training was in preparation for the ‘Freedom Shield’ joint military drills between the US and South Korea. The drills will nonetheless take place between March 10 and 20, as originally planned. On its part, the US Air Forces Korea released a statement distancing itself from the accident.
U.S. Forces Korea spokesman Col. Ryan Donald told ABC News: “We can confirm that no U.S. Air Force aircraft were involved in the exercise. The U.S. and ROK militaries have agreed to pause all live-fire training until further notice. Despite this pause, the planned command post exercise, Freedom Shield 25, will proceed as scheduled. The U.S.-ROK Alliance remains fully committed to ensuring the safety, security, and stability of the ROK, as well as maintaining our readiness to defend both of our homelands.”
The accident led to chaos in Pocheon, which hosts three major firing ranges for use by the South Korean and US militaries. As the bombs wrecked the civilian buildings, some residents assumed that a war had broken out, causing panic in the city.
This comes at a time when North Korea has warned against the South Korean-US drills set to begin next week. North Korea warned on March 7 that the drills will result in a “storm” that worsens the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and that South Korea and the United States will pay a “horrible” price for the exercises.
That said, it has clearly been a difficult time for South Korean fighter jets. In a separate incident earlier this week, a South Korean-origin fighter in the Philippines Air Force crashed after going off the radar.
Philippines Has One Less South Korean Fighter Jet
A Philippine Air Force (PAF) F-50PH crashed during a counter-insurgency mission, killing both pilots aboard. The rescuers found the wreckage of the plane on March 5.
“The PAF FA-50 aircraft reported missing has been located by ground troops in the vicinity of the Mt. Kalatungan Complex, Bukidnon, today, March 5, 2025,” the PAF said in a statement on the day. “With deep regret and profound sadness, the PAF announces the loss of the two pilots aboard,” it added.
The aircraft went missing on March 4 while conducting counter-insurgency operations in a southern province where Filipino military troops are fighting communist rebels. The aircraft in question was part of a coordinated assault mission supporting ground troops battling insurgents. While the other fighter jets successfully carried out their strikes and returned to an air base in Cebu province, the missing fighter never reestablished contact.
Military officials said the FA-50 was approaching its target area at midnight on March 4 when it lost contact with other Air Force planes.
“It was a total wreck,” said Lieutenant General Luis Rex Bergante, regional military commander, describing the situation that the Philippine special forces encountered when they located the plane. An investigation into the crash is underway, and the rest of the fleet has been grounded.
The crash is a massive setback for the Philippines Air Force, which had only a dozen of these fighter jets, one of which has now been lost. The Philippine government purchased 12 multipurpose fighter jets from South Korea about a decade ago, and the aircraft has since been the mainstay of the country’s small air force.
The aircraft, which is best known for its precision strike capability, has also contributed to previous counterinsurgency efforts, targeting rebel positions in remote areas where ground troops face difficulties. However, this is the “first major incident involving” the Philippine Air Force’s fleet of FA-50 fighter jets.
Notably, the crash comes as the PAF is evaluating the option to acquire a dozen additional FA-50 fighters amid rising tensions and confrontations with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Forces. There were also reports that the PAF was mulling the deployment of the FA-50 to escort its patrol aircraft over the South China Sea.
It is safe to say that the South Korean fighter jets have had a difficult week as they prepare to face regional security challenges.
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