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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PAF's 5 new Blackhawk choppers to help in vaccine transportation

PAF's 5 new Blackhawk choppers to help in vaccine transportation

Published Jun 8, 2021 12:59 pm

The five brand new S-70i Blackhawk utility helicopters recently obtained by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) from Poland will be used in transporting coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines in geographically isolated areas, it announced on Tuesday, June 8.

The Philippine Air Force will use the five newly delivered S-70i Blackhawk utility helicopters in transporting COVID-19 vaccines in remote areas. The choppersarrived at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga on June 7, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Air Force)

The choppers were delivered to the country aboard an Antonov transport plane from Poland. It landed at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Monday, June 7.

Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano, PAF spokesperson, said the Blackhawks are "the best" in its class of multi-mission utility helicopters. He noted they can be applied to meet a variety of missions so long as they are equipped with suitable equipment.

"The recent arrival of the five Blackhawks will further boost the heli-lift capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and will help the government deliver more services in more areas in less time," Mariano said.

The Blackhawks were part of the 16-unit aircraft acquired by the PAF from Polish company Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze Sp.z.o.o which were manufactured by Sikorsky USA.

The Philippine Air Force will use the five newly delivered S-70i Blackhawk utility helicopters in transporting COVID-19 vaccines in remote areas. The choppersarrived at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga on June 7, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Air Force)

The acquisition project, which was part of the second "Horizon" of the AFP modernization program, has a total contract price of $241,461,699.39 and was sealed through a government to government (G2G) transaction in 2019.

The first six units of the Blackhawks were delivered in November 2020 and were used to transport vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the remotest areas of Batanes, Bicol, and other parts of the country.

These can also be used in combat missions and humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations, Mariano noted.

The Philippine Air Force will use the five newly delivered S-70i Blackhawk utility helicopters in transporting COVID-19 vaccines in remote areas. The choppersarrived at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga on June 7, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Air Force)

With the latest delivery, the PAF now has 11 Blackhawk utility helicopters. Meanwhile, the third batch of five helicopters are scheduled to be delivered before the end of 2021.

The Blackhawk helicopter is capable of flying at a speed of 224 miles per hour or 361 km per hour. It also has a range of 290 miles or 460 km.

"With this new arrival, the PAF will be a better partner in the fight against the pandemic and a reliable ally in nation building," Mariano said.

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