The Philippine Air Force (PAF) officially received five new S-70i Black Hawk helicopters at a ceremony held at the Haribbon Hangar at Clark Air Base in Mabalacat, Pampanga on August 13th.
The ceremony was attended by PAF Commander Vice-General Arthur Cordula.
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According to PAF spokesman Colonel Ma Consuelo Castillo, the aircraft arrived in the Philippines on July 15th, and are part of a plan to acquire 32 aircraft, totaling PHP 32 billion (PHP) under a contract with Polish manufacturer PZL Mierec. The contract was signed as part of the Philippine Army (AFP) modernization plan.
This delivery will be followed after five aircraft were delivered in June 2024 and December of the same year. Prior to deployment, it was confirmed to meet operational requirements after undergoing strict technical inspections and receipt reviews (TIA) conducted by the Ministry of Defense (DND), AFP and PAF.
The S-70i Black Hawk will be operated by the 205th Tactical Helicopter Squadron, which belongs to Air Mobile Command. Colonel Castillo said the aircraft will be used for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, troop transport, cargo transfer and national security-related missions.
From 2020 to 2021, the Ministry of Defense has already acquired 16 Black Hawks from PZL Mierec on a PHP of 11.5 billion contract, and the new acquisition will significantly improve the operational capabilities and range of the Philippine Air Force.
Source and Image: Philippine Air Force (PAF) | PNA. This content was proofread by the editorial team with AI support.
