Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura, chief of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), said his visit to Exercise Pitch Black in Australia is meant to sharpen his forces’ ability to work alongside allied militaries as the country moves away from decades of internal security operations toward a broader mission of territorial defense.
Speaking on the sidelines of the exercise, Cordura called the multilateral drills an important opportunity to build interoperability with regional partners. He said he hoped to push the Philippine contingent to perform better than it did during its first appearance at Pitch Black two years ago, and that what he had seen and heard so far left him confident the exercise’s goals would be met.
A Force in Transition
According to Cordura, the Philippine Air Force is shifting away from a long focus on internal security operations and toward full territorial defense of the region. He said interoperability, air power development and force deployment are central to that transition, and that Pitch Black offers a chance to build competence across those areas for what he called a developing and transforming air force. He pointed to the Philippines’ modernization roadmap, known as Flight Plan 2040, as the framework guiding that shift.
The plan includes acquiring multi-role aircraft and related systems, building capability in newer domains such as cyber operations, and adopting what the military calls agile combat employment. Cordura said the plan also places heavy emphasis on developing personnel, and that the initiatives under Flight Plan 2040 are now moving from planning into execution.
Who Is Arthur Cordura
Cordura, 56, took command of the Philippine Air Force in December 2024, becoming its 40th commanding general. Born in San Fernando, Pampanga, he graduated cum laude from the Philippine Military Academy’s class of 1990 and finished third among 65 pilots in the PAF Flying School class of 1992. He began his flying career with the 15th Strike Wing, where he qualified as a combat crew training pilot and later as an instructor pilot on the MD-520 gunship. Before taking over as PAF chief, he served as vice chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
A Personal Tie to Australia
Cordura has a personal connection to Australia beyond the current exercise. He said he trained there and completed a master’s degree in the country, ties he described as part of a defense relationship between the two nations that has grown steadily over the years.
Looking to Australia as a Model
Cordura described Australia as a model for how the Philippines wants to build an integrated air defense system, citing agreements between the two countries including a Visiting Forces Agreement, a defense cooperation arrangement and a mutual logistics support arrangement. He also referenced the Philippines’ place in the Squad grouping with Australia, saying the two countries regularly exchange notes on shared operational interests in the region.
That relationship runs in both directions, he said. Australia took part in the Philippines’ own Alon exercise last year, one of several exercises in which the two militaries have participated together.
Evaluating Equipment and Closing Skills Gaps
During Pitch Black, Cordura said the Philippine Air Force has been benchmarking its own capabilities against the platforms operated by other participating countries. He said the exposure to newer technology among allied aircraft is informing the Philippines’ own decisions about what kind of multi-role platform would best suit a smaller air force like the Philippines.
He also acknowledged a skills gap among Filipino pilots taking part in the exercise. Most of the pilots deployed to Pitch Black have experience in actual combat operations tied to internal security missions, he said, but that experience does not fully prepare them for the demands of a multilateral, territorial defense environment. He said the exercise is meant to expose pilots to that broader context and help identify where the Philippines’ current inventory falls short when operating alongside other countries’ platforms.
Framing the Alliance
Cordura closed by describing the value of alliances such as the one between the Philippines and Australia. He said the exchange of operational information between the two countries has shaped how each anticipates future threats in the region, and that the lessons drawn from Pitch Black could help address challenges the Philippines faces in its own operational environment.
He argued that an alliance is not just about drawing on the capability of a partner nation, but about a country improving itself so it can contribute meaningfully in return. That, he said, is why continued participation in exercises like Pitch Black remains a priority for the Philippine Air Force.