The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said a search is on for an FA-50 fighter jet that went missing shortly after midnight on Tuesday while on a tactical night operation.

"The aircraft lost communication with the rest of the flight involved in the mission minute before reaching the target area," the PAF said in a statement.

The other aircraft repeatedly attempted to re-establish contact with the missing jet until returned to Mactan in Cebu province in the central Philippines.

"The PAF is conducting extensive and thorough search operations, utilizing all available resources, to locate the missing jet fighter aircraft," read the statement.

The PAF said its primary concern is the safe return of the jet's aircrews. "We are hopeful of locating them and the aircraft soon," the PAF said.