The Cheapest Most Powerful Fighter in Existence

In the heart of the Philippines, the rugged tropical landscape echoed with the thunderous roar of engines. Two FA-50 Golden Eagles, South Korea's latest fighter, streak across the horizon on their way to their objective: a hostile base full of radical Islamic insurgents. Equipped with tactical datalink, EL/M-2032 radar, state-of-the-art HUD, and sensors, the Philippine Golden Eagles locate the enemy and attack with precision and lethality. The Eagles swiftly scan the ground below, and before the insurgents can race for cover, they drop their bomb ordnance. The Mach-capable aircraft, honoring their American F-16 legacy, leave a trail of destruction behind and turn around, prepared for a second run. When they do, mayhem takes hold of the insurgents, with the Golden Eagles’ powerful 20-millimeter Gatling guns and FFAR rockets turning fortifications into rubble. In the blink of an eye, the FA-50s destroy the Islamist strongholds and return to their base, preserving the Philippines from a rising threat. The Golden Eagle ushers a new decade of affordable yet highly effective aircraft for nations with a smaller military budget, costing around 40 million apiece, representing almost one-third of the price of a modern American or European fourth-generation fighter aircraft. --- Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between. As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.