Photo: Philippine Air Force (PAF)
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received another five S-70i Black Hawk helicopters from the Polish manufacturer PZL Mielec, delivered on 9 December. This delivery took place at Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga, and represents the second batch...
To read the full article, please log in or enter your email below:
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received another five S-70i Black Hawk helicopters from the Polish manufacturer PZL Mielec, delivered on 9 December. This delivery took place at Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga, and represents the second batch received this year.
The helicopters are currently undergoing Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) checks before being officially commissioned into service. The first batch of five S-70i helicopters was delivered on 10 June and quickly became operational within the PAF.
Colonel Consuelo Castillo, the PAF spokesperson, highlighted that these ten helicopters are part of a larger 32-unit contract with PZL Mielec, signed in February 2022 under then Department of National Defence (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. The contract, valued at PHP32 billion, includes logistics support, along with pilot and maintenance crew training. An additional 15 helicopters are anticipated to arrive by 2025, while the remaining seven are expected by 2026.
Colonel Castillo emphasised the versatility of the S-70i helicopters, stating that they are crucial in various operations. She said, “Our Black Hawks are very important because [we] used them for a range of missions, we used them for internal security operations, we used them for medical search and rescue, we used them for HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief). They are heavily used especially (because) we have had a lot of typhoons the past months,” as quoted from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on 12 December. She also pointed out the advantages of the S-70i models, noting that they are “much faster, durable and could carry a heavier load than other helicopters in PAF service.”
The Department of National Defence previously acquired 16 S-70i helicopters from PZL Mielec between 2020 and 2021, at a cost of PHP11.5 billion. However, one of these helicopters was lost during a night-flying exercise on 24 June 2021 when it crashed.
In a related development, the PAF deployed two S-70i helicopters on 9 December to conduct a rapid damage assessment and needs analysis (RDANA) in Negros Occidental following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon. The operation aimed to gather crucial data on potential hazards and areas in need of urgent attention.
The aerial survey included experts from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), officials from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, and representatives from the Office of Civil Defence (OCD) in Regions 6 and 7.
Senior navy officials from Japan, the United States, and Australia have signed a logistics cooperation deal to boost maritime collaboration…
Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has announced the purchase of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to…
Rheinmetall has supplied another mobile rescue station (Role 2 type) to the Ukraine. Service members of the Ukrainian armed forces…
Rheinmetall has delivered a fourth mobile rescue station to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Düsseldorf-based company also conducted training…
Malaysia Airlines has been named the Official Airline Partner for the Travel Madness Expo (TME) 2025, one of the Philippines’…
The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has awarded Airbus Defence and Space, alongside co-contractor Neverhack, an eight-year framework contract…
Asia Pacific carriers posted a combined net profit of US$7.3 billion in 2024, according to preliminary financial results released by…
Australia has pledged to provide the Philippine Coast Guard with additional state-of-the-art drones to strengthen maritime domain awareness and support…
Metis has secured a contract to supply its Skyperion radio frequency (RF) drone detection systems to a NATO customer as…
Airbus has announced that Lars Wagner, currently CEO of MTU Aero Engines AG, will succeed Christian Scherer as Chief Executive…
Airbus Defence and Space has been appointed as the prime contractor for the development and production of two new PAZ-2…
German regional aircraft manufacturer Deutsche Aircraft has opened a new office in Berlin. Located at the historic Römischer Hof on…
Saudia and Vietnam Airlines have entered into a codeshare agreement aimed at improving air connectivity between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.…
Indonesia and Brazil have agreed to collaborate on the development of missile and submarine systems technology as part of broader…
Leonardo, Enav, and the Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise (UkSATSE) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation at the Ukrainian…
The US Navy's ship-killer missile system has been used for live fire drills in the Philippines, a senior American military…
Elfly Group, developers of the NOEMI (no emissions electric seaplane) has signed an MoU, worth US$50 million, with Cambodia's VET…
Washington has deployed for the first time one of its most lethal aircraft to the Philippines, the F-35, for air…
The Philippine Armed Forces (AFP) is undergoing a strategic transformation under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., driven by increased budgets, deeper…
In a strong display of regional defence cooperation, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has recently completed vital training missions…
The Philippines and New Zealand have taken a significant step in bolstering their defence partnership with the signing of a…
India is strengthening its role as a regional security partner through a series of landmark missile exports to the Philippines,…
Rheinmetall has conducted the first live-fire demonstration of its Squad Support Weapon 40 (SSW40), presenting the system to defence media…
Lockheed Martin has delivered the first Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV) shipset—four AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar antennas—to Japan’s Ministry of Defense (JMOD).…
Savox Communications and Insta have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development and delivery of defence and security solutions…
Vietjet has introduced a new direct air route connecting Hanoi, Vietnam, and Xi’an, China. The service offers a new travel…
Northrop Grumman has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ROMARM, a Romanian state-owned leader in defense, to collaborate in offering…
Northrop Grumman successfully launched a threat-representative target recently for the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Long Range Discrimination Radar non-intercept operational…
Boeing has been awarded a $2.8B contract for the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications (ESS) program, the space-based component of the…
The Philippine Navy (PN) has confirmed ongoing discussions regarding the possible transfer of Abukuma-class destroyer escorts from the Japan Maritime…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2025 GBP all rights reserved.