The Philippine Air Force (PAF) officially received five new S-70i Black Hawk helicopters on August 13 during a ceremony held at the Haribon Hangar, Clark Air Base, in Mabalacat City, Pampanga province.
The handover was attended by PAF Commander Lieutenant General Arthur Cordura.
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According to PAF spokesperson Colonel Ma. Consuelo Castillo, the aircraft arrived in the country on July 15 and are part of a contract for the acquisition of 32 units, valued at PHP 32 billion, signed with the Polish manufacturer PZL Mielec under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.
This new batch follows the delivery of five units in June 2024 and another five in December 2024. Before being inducted into the fleet, the helicopters underwent rigorous Technical Inspection and Acceptance (TIA) procedures conducted by the Department of National Defense (DND), AFP, and PAF to ensure compliance with operational requirements.
The S-70i Black Hawks will be operated by the 205th Tactical Helicopter Squadron, under the Air Mobility Command. According to Castillo, the aircraft will be used for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, troop transport, cargo movement, and national security operations.
Between 2020 and 2021, the DND had already acquired 16 Black Hawk helicopters from PZL Mielec under a PHP 11.5 billion contract. The new acquisition significantly expands the operational reach and capacity of the Philippine fleet.
Source and images: Philippine Air Force (PAF) | PNA. This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
