MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines on Tuesday signed a $624 million deal to buy 32 Black Hawk helicopters in the largest military aircraft acquisition contract under outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, defense officials said.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana signed a deal with Janusz Zakrecki, president of Poland-based aerospace manufacturer PZL Mielec, to acquire the S-70i Black Hawks, which can be used for military transport, combat operations and disaster response. National Defense Department spokesman Arsenio Andolong said the deal includes a training package for pilots and maintenance crews and logistical backup.
Lorenzana said it took time for the budget department to allocate funds for the deal, which Duterte had signed, and that he was concerned because the president's six-year term was ending on June 30.
"We barely made it," said Lorenzana. "I think we won't be here to get these helicopters, but still, we would be happy to see the capability of the Philippine Air Force improve."
Due to financial constraints, dealing with decades-long Muslim and communist insurgency, and defending its territories in the disputed South China Sea, the Philippines has struggled for years to modernize its military.
The acquisition of Black Hawks would allow the Air Force to retire its older Bell UH-1 helicopters, which were used during the Vietnam War. "The Philippine Air Force is so good at maintaining these helicopters for a long time. Not long after the US has already removed their hues, we are still flying them," Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana said that the Philippines had previously acquired 16 Black Hawks from PZL Millek, all of which have been delivered and were widely used to respond to the widespread damage caused by a powerful storm in the central Philippines in December. .
Last year, one of 16 helicopters crashed during night flight training in northern Tarlac province, killing six Air Force personnel, but Lorenzana said it was "an acceptable risk of flying a helicopter at night during bad weather." "