The Philippine Air Force (PAF) announced Friday, Oct. 15, that it has formally accepted five new S-70i Black Hawk helicopters and four Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which are expected to boost the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., AFP Chief of Staff, and Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes, PAF Commanding General, led the acceptance and turnover of the choppers and aerial drones at the Haribon Hangar, Clark Air Base in Mabalacat City, Pampanga last Wednesday.
The five newly delivered Black Hawks were part of the 16 units procured by the PAF from Polish aircraft manufacturer Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze Sp.z.o.o for around P11.5 billion. The initial batch of six units were delivered from November 9 to Dec. 2, 2020 -- one of which was involved in a plane crash last June 24, 2021 -- while the second batch of five units arrived last June 7, 2021.
"These helicopters will add to the Black Hawk fleet of the PAF which will boost the heli-lift capability of the AFP," said Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano, PAF spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the aerial drones worth around $4 million or P200 million were donated by the United States government to the AFP.
These are expected to provide additional capabilities in unmanned intelligence, surveillance, recoinnasance (ISR) of the AFP in support of their counterterrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) efforts.
"These UAVs will enhance the recoinnasance operations of the AFP," Mariano said.
Prior to the turnover of the choppers and aerial drones, the PAF also decommissioned 10 UH-1D helicopters which has been the workhorse of the military for heli-lift operations.
The UH-1D aircraft were towed between two firetrucks where they were given the traditional water cannon salute that signalled the formal end of their services in the PAF.
The aircraft were acquired from the American aircraft supply firm Rice Aircraft Services in 2013 as part of the PAF's "interim solution" for their relief transport.
"These are the aircraft that have already served its purpose," Mariano explained.