The Philippines will purchase 32 new S-70u Black Hawk helicopters, which will be produced by Polish Aviation Works, owned by Lockheed Martin. They will join the 15 helicopters already owned by the Philippines. The 16th commissioned machine crashed last June.
The Philippines Secretary of Defense Delfin Lorenzana announced that the purchase also included logistical support and a training package for pilots and maintenance personnel. The cost of the project is 32 billion pesos – over PLN 2.5 billion. Currently, a contract agreement is being prepared.
The Philippines originally ordered 16 S-70i Black Hawks International for PLN 980 million (USD 241.1 million) in March 2019, which were assembled in the Mielec Works. The contract also included flight and ground personnel training, which was carried out in Florida. The purchase was financed under the Horizon 2 technical modernization program for the Philippine Armed Forces for 2018-2022.
Delivery of the first five helicopters is expected in 2023. The rest will be delivered in three lots – 10 in 2024, 10 in 2025 and 7 in 2026.
Adrian Andrzejewski