Air Force deploys 2 Black Hawks in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Two S-70i Black Hawk helicopters were delivered to the Philippine Air Force in Zamboanga City and would be used to support combat operations in the restive region where security forces are battling pro-ISIS terror groups and communist insurgents.

 

Photos released by the Western Mindanao Command show the two Black Hawk helicopters. 

The helicopters are manufactured by PZL Mielec, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, which had also previously acquired Sikorsky, the original manufacturer of the Black Hawk. 

Army Maj. Gen. Alfred Rosario Jr, chief of the Western Mindanao Command headquarters here, said the choppers were received Thursday by the Tactical Operations Wing at the Edwin Andrews Air Base. He said the helicopters will also be utilized to perform various missions, disaster quick response and humanitarian flights. 

Rosario said the deployment of the new helicopters will boost the capability of the armed forces to address both lethal and non-lethal operations. “We are very grateful that the top brass considered the deployment of these air assets which will greatly contribute to the accomplishment of our missions here in Western Mindanao,” he said in a statement. 

Col. Dennis Estrella, commander of the Tactical Operations Wing, said the helicopters will greatly improve their operations because of its larger capacity and more impressive horsepower allowing a faster and longer-range transport and can withstand strong turbulent winds.

 

But in June this year, one Black Hawk helicopter under the 205^th Tactical Helicopter Wing based at Clark Air Base crashed during night flight training in the town of Capas in Tarlac province in central Luzon, killing all six airmen aboard.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col Maynard Mariano said the Black Hawk, one of six utility helicopters used for such training, crashed on June 23 after failing to return to base in Pampanga province.

The Philippines acquired the helicopters under a government-to-government deal with Poland, signing a contract worth $241 million in 2019. The Black Hawks are being bought under the U.S. ally’s five-year Horizon 2 modernization program, which will run from 2018-2022. (Mindanao Examiner)