Black Hawks deployed to EastMinCom

Black Hawk at the Davao Air Station (photo EastMinCom)

DAVAO CITY, Nov. 8 (PIA)- Four brand new S-70i Black Hawk helicopters have been assigned to the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

A pair of Black Hawks will be stationed at the Tactical Operations Wing-Eastern Mindanao (TOW-EM), Davao Air Station in Barangay Sasa, Davao City while the other two S70i choppers will be based at the Tactical Operations Group (TOG) 10 headquarters in Lumbia Airport, Cagayan de Oro City.

The deployed Black Hawks were formally received by Brig. General Maurito L. Licudine, deputy commander of EastMinCom and Lt. Col. Fridzkhan S. Alpa, OIC TOW-EM/ Group Commander of TOG-11 on November 4.

The Philippines in 2019 acquired 16 units of Black Hawk Helicopters from Poland-based Sikorsky Aircraft subsidiary PZL Mielec. The acquisition is part of the Philippine Air Force’s combat utility helicopter (CUH) requirement under the Horizon 2 of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

These Black Hawks can be configured according to specific missions including troops transport and air assault, command and control, border patrol, search and rescue, disaster response, cargo lift, and VIP transport. These air assets will be useful in EastMinCom’s area of responsibility which covers Southeastern, Central and Northern Mindanao.

The Duterte administration is also eyeing to purchase additional Black Hawks to improve the country’s heli-lift capability. The Black Hawks were intended to replace the PAF’s fleet of aging Huey helicopters.

EastMinCom Commander Lt. Gen. Greg T. Almerol said that these new air assets will enhance the troops’ mobility in the fight against the Communist Terrorists Group including the ability to conduct Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.

“The arrival of these Black Hawk choppers happened at a very opportune time to aid our hardworking troops in the pursuit of genuine peace and development in Eastern Mindanao. There is no doubt that these air capabilities will improve the conduct of military operations against the CTG (Communist Terrorist Groups) and other threat groups both on land and sea,” Lt. Gen. Almerol said.

Lt. Gen. Almerol expressed his gratitude to President Duterte for his continued support in improving military capabilities one of which was the purchase of the Black Hawks. The EastMinCom chief said the President has always been responsive to the needs of the Armed Forces in order to protect the interest of the country and the Filipino people.(PIA/RG Alama with reports from EastMinCom)

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