Air Force to get 5 more Black Hawk choppers

By Priam Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency

These five S-70i helicopters are the fourth batch out of the 32 S-70i unit acquisition order signed in 2022. (Pexels photo)

MANILA – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said Thursday it will formally accept into service five brand-new S-70i “Black Hawk” helicopters on Nov. 6.

This will take place shortly after an acceptance, turnover, and blessing ceremony for the aircraft at the Presidential Air Wing Hangar of Villamor Air Base in Pasay City. The guest of honor for the event will be Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Christina Basco, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency, said these aircraft were delivered on Oct. 20.

She added that these S-70i helicopters were then subjected to a technical inspection and acceptance committee or TIAC inspection from Oct. 22 to 28, which they passed.

With this hurdle done, Basco said, the PAF can formally accept the helicopters next week.

“Official acceptance is incorporating it already in the PAF inventory,” she said when asked whether this means the S-70i helicopters are now in Air Force service.

These five S-70i helicopters are the fourth batch out of the 32 S-70i unit acquisition order signed in 2022, she said.

This was done under a direct contract with Poland’s PZL Mielec through the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. The project is worth PHP32 billion.

The first batch of five helicopters arrived in the country on June 10, 2024, followed by a second batch of five S-70i helicopters on Dec. 9 that year.

Meanwhile, the third batch was delivered on July 15 and was formally accepted by the PAF on Aug. 13.

The Department of National Defense previously purchased from PZL Mielec 16 units of “Black Hawk” helicopters for PHP11.5 billion. They were delivered from 2020 to 2021.

S-70i helicopters are known for their versatility, speed, and reliability in a wide range of missions.