Five new units of S70-i Black Hawk helicopters have arrived in the country this month, according to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
In an advisory on Wednesday, PAF spokesperson Col. Maria Christina Basco said its acceptance, turnover, and blessing ceremony will be held at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Nov. 6, 2025.
Basco said these aircraft were delivered on Oct. 20, according to a Philippine News Agency report.
PAF has 30 existing Black Hawk helicopters, another 17 are expected to arrive in the coming years, according to her.
Former PAF spokesperson Maria Consuelo Castillo said 10 of the S70-i Black Hawk choppers will arrive in this year’s last quarter, including the five newly-arrived choppers.
Seven more will arrive in the middle of 2026, Castillo had said.
The government earmarked P32 billion to purchase the new helicopters manufactured by Polish-aerospace PZL Mielec, a subsidiary of American firm Lockheed Martin.
Previously, Castillo said PAF is looking to upgrade the endurance capability of its S-70i Black Hawk choppers by installing auxiliary tanks in all of its existing units, which would provide additional fuel capacity to make it more capable to conduct missions in the country’s exclusive economic zone.