Philippines receives first batch of 5 Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters

PAF S-70i Blackhawk helicopters at Clark Air Base, after being offloaded from an Antonov An-124 Ruslan transport aircraft. Photo c/o Philippines DND.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) received the first shipment of five (5) Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters, which were made and delivered by Sikorsky's Polish subsidiary, PZL Mielec.

The five helicopters arrived on 09 November 2020 and were brought in by an Antonov Airlines An-124 Ruslan heavy transport aircraft.

These helicopters are part of a deal for 16 units ordered under a US$241.4 million contract signed between the Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) and Sikorsky-PZL Mielec, in 2018.

A sixth unit, also part of those scheduled for delivery within 2020, is also on the way to the Philippines after it was shipped separately through a commercial cargo vessel. The rest of the orders are scheduled to be delivered to the PAF within the 1st quarter of 2021.

Training of pilots and ground crew were reported to have been conducted in Sikorsky's facility in Florida, USA.

The S-70i Black Hawk are expected to complement and eventually replace the ageing fleet of Bell UH-1D/H Huey combat utility helicopters that are still in use with the PAF.  The PAF also has a few Bell 412EP and PZL Swidnik W-3A Sokol combat utility helicopters in its fleet. Additional helicopters are expected to be ordered by the PAF at a later date to completely replace all UH-1D/H Huey helicopters in its fleet.

Lockheed Martin, which Sikorsky and PLZ Mielec are a part of, succeeded in gaining the project after it was originally awarded to the Canadian Commercial Corporation for 16 Bell 412EPI helicopters.

But Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled the contract with Canada after Canadian government officials questioned Pres. Duterte's human rights records and questioned the potential use of the Bell 412EPI helicopters.

Aside from Bell Helicopters, Sikorsky also competed with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), which offered their KUH-1 Surion helicopter.


[1] Philippine Defense Resource
[2] MaxDefense Philippines
[3] ABS-CBN News