Philippines gets last batch of 5 Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters from Poland
One of the five new S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters delivered to the Philippines on 08 November 2021. Photo c/o MaxDefense Philippines. |
Lockheed Martin's Polish subsidiary PZL Mielec has delivered the last batch of five Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters to the Philippines on 08 November 2021.
The helicopters, bound for the Philippine Air Force (PAF), arrived at Clark Air Base north of Manila aboard a commercial Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy transport aircraft flying from Poland through the United Arab Emirates.
The five helicopters form the last batch of deliveries by PZL Mielec as part of a US$241.4 million contract for 16 new S-70i Black Hawk helicopters for the PAF signed in 2019.
The S-70i Black Hawk was selected after it competed with other international offerings including the Bell 412EPI, the KAI KUH-1 Surion from South Korea, Leonardo AW-139M, and Airbus Helicopters AS565 Panther.
According to Philippine defense page MaxDefense Philippines, the helicopters were received by the PAF and will be undergoing localized inspections and testing prior to induction with the air service.
It is expected that these would take several weeks, and the helicopters might be ready for formal acceptance and induction with the PAF before yearend at the earliest.
The PAF's 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, based in Benito Ebuen Airbase in Mactan, Cebu province, is the unit overseeing the operations of the Black Hawk combat utility helicopters and other similar helicopters in the PAF.
The S-70i Black Hawk is the export version of the venerable UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter primarily used by the US military and its other key allies and partners. In the PAF, it replaces the ageing Bell UH-1D/H Huey helicopters which have been operated by the PAF since 1968.
The Black Hawk helicopters are far larger than the ones they are replacing, with more internal space, heavier lifting capacity, longer range and better endurance.
The PAF is said to be interested in acquiring more S-70i Black Hawk helicopters as it retired its fleet of UH-1D/H Hueys earlier this year after being involved in a series of fatal accidents.
[1] MaxDefense Philippines
[2] Polish Embassy in the Philippines
[3] Philippine Defense Resource
Philippines gets last batch of 5 Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters from Poland
Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal
on
November 09, 2021
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