PHL Air Force’s Ordered S-70i Black Hawk Helicopter Spotted

04 Juli 2020

PAF S-70i Blackhawk helicopter (photo : Kępanowski)

One of the soon to be delivered S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters (CUHs) of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) was spotted sitting on a trailer truck by Tomasz Kępanowski who is part of EPRZ Spotting Team.

Information on when the photo was taken was not specified, but the photo was uploaded by Kępanowski on Instagram, July 1, 2020.

Both Republic of Poland Ambassador to the Philippines Jarosław Szczepankiewicz and PAF have confirmed that around 6 of 16 ordered S-70i Black Hawk CUHs will be delivered before 2020 ends.

“The purchase of 16 S-70i combat-utility helicopters manufactured by the Polish Aviation Works-Mielec (PZL-Mielec) is an excellent example of cooperation between our two countries,” Ambassador Szczepankiewicz said in June. “By the end of 2020, PZL-Mielec will hand over the first six units of S-70i Black Hawk helicopters to the PAF under a contract signed in 2019.”

“On Combat Utility Helicopters, the delivery of 5 to 6 Blackhawk S70i is expected before the year ends,” PAF also said in June.

Ambassador Szczepankiewicz also noted that an armed version of S-70i Black Hawk is also being offered.

“A fully armed version of the S-70i matches the needs of the PAF expressed in its program,” the envoy said. “The commonality between the armed Black Hawk and the already contracted 16 S-70is for the PAF combat-utility helicopter program will further enhance sustained cost-efficiencies between the two fleets. Armed S-70is are already in commission in three countries: the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Colombia.” 

(Mintfo)