A further 32 Polish-built Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters are to be purchased to supplement the Philippine Air Force (PAF) fleet.

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced the plans on December 7 saying that the government has allocated funds for the acquisition of the helicopters for the PAF, along with six offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Navy.

Lorenzana said that funding allocated for capital assets acquisition included PHP32 billion for the 32 Black Hawks to be acquired from Sikorsky’s Polish subsidiary, PZL Mielic. He said that a contract for them was still under negotiation.

The PAF has already taken delivery of 16 S-70i Black Hawks from PZL Mielec, the last batch of which arrived on November 8 – see Philippine Black Hawk deliveries completed, January, p18. That final batch of five was formally inducted into service on December 3 at Clark Air Base, Angeles, Pampanga.