The Black Eagle aerobatic team of the South Korean air force, flying a T-50 training aircraft, reportedly arrived at Kaohsiung International Airport in the city’s Xiaogang District on August 18 at around 11 a.m.
Following a performance in the Philippines, the ensemble took a flight to Taiwan for a four-hour layover. A C-130 transport plane flew the team’s ground workers and equipment first. After then, six T-50B Black Eagle jets descended in succession.
The aeroplane refuelled at Kaohsiung International Airport before taking off once more for Seoul. The South Korean crew decided to refuel in Kaohsiung because the journey from Manila to Seoul was outside the range of the T-50 aircraft, military analysts cited by UDN.
Taiwan’s military, however, refrained from going into any detail, saying that the rule covers all stopover flights by foreign military aircraft into the nation.
Nevertheless, a large number of military personnel and aviation aficionados flocked to the best viewing areas around the airport early that morning in anticipation of seeing the team’s KAI T-50B Golden Eagles, an aerobatic plane created by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin.
The group has been playing over the skies of the UK, Poland, and Egypt as part of their 365-day global tour. The “Black Eagles” Aerobatic Team’s most recent refuelling stop before departing for the Singapore Airshow was in Taiwan in 2018.
A few days ago, the team flew to India for refuelling and maintenance.
After finishing their multi-country duty in the Indo-Pacific region in September, the German Air Force also plans to fly close to Taiwan.
On August 16, the German air force sent fighter jets to Asia for the first time in order to take part in drills in Australia, marking the largest overseas deployment of German military aircraft since World War II.
This occurs at a time when the Taiwan Strait is tense due to incursions by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) across the median line after Speaker of the US House Nancy Pelosi’s visit on August 2-3.
The aircraft wouldn’t cross the Taiwan Strait and would “barely touch” the South China Sea since they would stay on international borders, Ingo Gerhartz, head of the German air force.
In reference to Taiwan’s proximity to the South China Sea and the planes’ flight path, Gerhartz stated, “These are obviously the sticking points in the region. After then, he denied that his participation in the military training exercises in Australia “sent any hostile message towards China.”
South Korea’s Black Eagle Team
The 53rd Air Demonstration Group, often known as the Black Eagles aerobatic team, was established in 1967, disbanded in 1978, revived in 1994, and disbanded once more in 2007.
The squadron was once more revived in 2009. The squadron was awarded the present complement of T-50B Golden Eagle planes, which feature white, yellow, and black-painted fuselages.
Based in Gangwon Province, the ROKAF aerobatic squad has taken part in a number of events and airshows across the world. During air shows, Black Eagles pilots fly T-50B aircraft.
The T-50 Golden Eagle family of South Korean supersonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft was developed in collaboration with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin Corporation, an American firm with expertise in aerospace, arms, defense, information, security, and technology.
Black Eagles recently participated in an airshow in the Philippines. On August 15, the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Black Eagles performed at the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga, marking the first time in more than 30 years that an international aerobatic team performed in the Philippines.
The aerobatic team has also performed over the skies of the United Kingdom, Poland and Egypt this year.
The Philippines is the last stop in their world tour before they are set to return to South Korea. | via @biancadava pic.twitter.com/Nqks7WY2Ys
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) August 15, 2022
“The Red Arrows (UK) were welcomed at the Villamor Air Base 33 years ago, which was the last time we had an international (aerobatic) team in the nation. Col. Maynard Mariano, spokesman for the Philippine Air Force, said, “We’re delighted the Black Eagles are coming in.
The aerobatic team was unable to do various manoeuvres, including loops, turns, and barrel rolls, due to the unfavourable weather.
Black Eagles Squadron Commander Kyu-Yong Shim, just eight of the 24 formations and manoeuvres that were initially planned were carried out.
Before the about one-hour-long air show came to a close, four PAF FA-50PH Fighting Eagles joined the Black Eagles in a “friendship fly.”
The aircraft are among the twelve FA-50s that the Philippines acquired from South Korea during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III and were delivered between November 2015 and May 2017.
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