Philippines grows its S-70i fleet with 10 new deliveries
The S-70i is the international variant of Sikorsky’s UH-60 Black Hawk. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
Lockheed Martin has announced that it made a total of 10 S-70i Black Hawk helicopter deliveries over 2024: five in June 2024 and five in December 2024.
The contract, signed in 2022, stated that the Philippine Air Force (PAF) would take delivery of 32 aircraft from Lockheed Martin’s subsidiary PZL Mielec. It would expand the PAF’s existing fleet of 15 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters to 47, boosting its operational capacity.
The remaining 22 aircraft will be delivered over the next two years, according to Lockheed Martin. As noted on Shephard Defence Insight, the deal for the PAF is estimated to be worth some PHP32 billion ($624 million).
Related Articles
Philippines awaits next T129 and S-70i helicopters
Lockheed Martin also boosted its presence in the region, when it appointed Asian Aerospace as the reseller of spare parts for the Black Hawk helicopter in the Philippines.
S-70i helicopters are in service with Brunei, Chile, Columbia, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Türkiye and it has also been ordered by the US. Almost 200 have been ordered and more than a quarter of those delivered.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
S-70i Second Batch [Philippines]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
Portugal joins Embraer and Brazil on C-390 ISR capabilities study
The ongoing study was first announced by Embraer in late 2024 with the Brazilian Air Force, with this latest addition announced during the LAAD defence and security exhibition.
-
Philippines approved for potential $5.5 billion F-16 aircraft purchase
The potential sale, approved by the US to the Philippines, is for 20 F-16 Block 70/72 jets, days after US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth visited the country.
-
Sweden commits to acquire four C-390 Millennium aircraft
The acquisition of four C-390 aircraft follows the country’s signing of an MoU in 2023 and formal selection in 2024. It will join the existing contract held by the Netherlands and Austria.
-
Airbus to fly new CUAS UAV prototype this year
The counter-UAS prototype, named Low-cost Air Defence or ‘LOAD’, will be used to combat kamikaze UAS.
-
Taiwan receives first F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft
The aircraft is the first of 66 to be delivered to Taiwan from Lockheed Martin.