Pasay city: The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has announced the formal acceptance of five new S-70i “Black Hawk” helicopters, set to take place on November 6. This event will occur during a ceremony at the Presidential Air Wing Hangar of Villamor Air Base. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman will serve as the guest of honor at the ceremony.

According to Philippines News Agency, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Christina Basco confirmed in an interview that the helicopters were delivered on October 20. Following their delivery, the aircraft underwent a technical inspection and acceptance committee (TIAC) inspection from October 22 to 28, which they successfully passed. Col. Basco noted that with the completion of this inspection, the PAF is now prepared to formally incorporate the helicopters into its inventory.

These five helicopters represent the fourth batch of a 32-unit acquisition order signed in 2022 with Poland’s PZL Mielec, under the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, at a cost of PHP32 billion. Earlier deliveries included the first batch on June 10, 2024, the second on December 9, and the third batch on July 15, which was formally accepted on August 13. Additionally, the Department of National Defense had previously purchased 16 “Black Hawk” units from PZL Mielec for PHP11.5 billion, delivered between 2020 and 2021. The S-70i helicopters are recognized for their versatility, speed, and reliability in diverse missions.