New Blackhawk choppers boost PAF's operational readiness –DND

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Saturday that the recent acquisition of S-70is Blackhawk utility medium-lift helicopters had greatly boosted the operational readiness of the Philippine Air Force in both combat and non-combat missions.

"Their larger capacity and impressive horsepower allows for a faster and long-range transport," Lorenzana said in a Facebook post.

"Looking forward to the delivery of the remaining 10 Blackhawks this year."

According to the Philippine News Agency, the PAF commissioned the first six of 16 Polish-made Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk helicopters it ordered in 2019 as part of its program to modernize its fleet of helicopters.

The remaining 10 units are expected to arrive in the country within the first quarter of 2021.

The brand-new Black Hawk helicopters are manufactured by PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky company in Poland.

The Philippine government purchased the helicopters under the $241.5 million government-to-government contract with Poland to meet the Horizon 2 phase of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. — DVM, GMA News