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Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star
August 26, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Air Force is slated to receive today the last seven of its 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters acquired from Poland under the PAF modernization program.
Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura, PAF commanding general, is guest of honor at the turnover rites to be held at the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing hangar at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
PAF spokesperson Col. Ma Christina Basco said the arrival of the seven helicopters is a “significant milestone in the development of the country’s rotary wing capability.”
“The additional aircraft will further strengthen the PAF’s capacity to conduct a wide range of missions, including troop and personal transport, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, search and rescue, medical evacuation and other critical air operations,” she said.
The acquisition of the helicopters “reflects the PAF’s continuing efforts to modernize its fleet and enhance mission readiness,” she said.
“With a larger and more capable Black Hawk fleet, the PAF is better positioned to provide responsive air support in both national defense operations and in times of crisis, particularly when communities need immediate assistance,” she added.
Basco also said the completion of the S-70I Black Hawk acquisition program “reinforces the PAF’s commitment to building a credible, agile and mission-ready air force capable of protecting the nation and serving the Filipino people whenever and wherever needed.”
The Philippines is also eyeing to expand its unmanned capabilities, including through development and acquisition of drones as part of AFP modernization, according to Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
At a budget hearing at the House of Representatives, Teodoro said the Philippines plans to acquire additional guided-missile corvettes and other major defense assets to beef up its external defense capabilities.
The Philippines has shifted its security focus from internal threats to external security as tensions rise with Beijing in the South China Sea, where confrontations between them over disputed features inside Manila’s exclusive economic zone have grown in frequency in recent years.
The armed forces currently operate a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles that provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Teodoro said.
“As we mature on the cycle, then we can acquire more,” Teodoro said in pitching to lawmakers a 6.3 percent increase in the defense department’s budget for 2027, from the P305.5-billion spending plan approved for this year.
Drone expansion is part of a proposed P50-billion allocation for the Philippines’ modernization program next year, 25 percent higher than that of the current budget.
The priority was also developing the systems, connectivity and operational know-how needed to use drones effectively, Teodoro added.
“More than the personnel, it is the integration into the operation, what do you do with them and how do you use them,” he said. Developing secure communications and network capabilities was crucial, he added.
Teodoro declined to identify specific systems under consideration, saying the details were classified and highly sensitive.
“They are very, very sensitive to compromise, particularly with AI,” he said, adding that the Philippines was in close contact with several countries with expertise in drone technology.
Yuliia Fediv, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Philippines, told Reuters in June that Kyiv has been in discussions with Manila over drone technology cooperation.
In June, the United States said it has given the Philippine military four solar-powered sea drones to boost its maritime surveillance.
