Philippines Enhances Air Fleet with State-of-the-Art S-70i™ Black Hawk® Helicopters from Lockheed Martin
MANILA, Philippines Jan. 16, 2025 – Lockheed Martin delivered 10 S-70i™ Black Hawk® helicopters in 2024 to the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND), as part of a contract for 32 Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters under the DND’s Additional Utility Helicopters Acquisition Initiative. The S-70 Black Hawk and the UH-60M Black Hawk exhibit the same strong, reliable, multi-role capabilities.
“The growing Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter fleet in the Philippines underscores the reliability of this versatile, multi-mission aircraft, which is essential for operations such as search and rescue, humanitarian aid, and troop logistics across the archipelago,” stated Hamid Salim, vice president of Army and Air Force Systems at Sikorsky. “Once the deliveries are finished, the Philippines will boast the largest collection of S-70i Black Hawks globally, enhancing the international fleet of Hawks that encourages interoperability and standardization, acting as a crucial deterrent and safety asset in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Established in 2022, the ongoing contract outlines that the Philippine Air Force will acquire 32 aircraft from Lockheed Martin’s subsidiary, PZL Mielec. This will elevate the PAF’s existing fleet of 15 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters to 47, improving their operational abilities. The first five aircraft under this agreement were dispatched in June 2024; and an additional five were delivered in December 2024. The remaining helicopters will be provided over the next two years.
Lockheed Martin is enhancing its footprint in the Philippines by expanding operations, partnering with local enterprises, and establishing an in-country office in Manila. In September 2024, Lockheed Martin appointed Asian Aerospace as the official original equipment manufacturer (OEM) authorized distributor of Sikorsky spare parts and maintenance services for the Black Hawk helicopter series in the Philippines. This guarantees OEM-certified, top-quality components are accessible to clients to support their rapidly growing fleet and delivers a dedicated resource for reliable support.
