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On June 7, Philippine Air Force received five more S-70i Blackhawk Utility Helicopters from Poland aboard an Antonov transport plane at Clark Air Base in Pampanga

 

An Antonov An-124 Ruslan transport aircraft reportedly arrived at Clark Air Base today, June 7 transporting 5 S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters (CUHs) for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The same type of aircraft delivered the initial batch of S-70i Black Hawk CUHs from Poland in November 2020. Six of 16 ordered S-70i Black Hawks constructed by Poland-based company PZL Mielec are already in PAF service.“Since their acquisition, our Blackhawk S-70is have greatly boosted the operational readiness of the PAF in both combat and non-combat missions. Their larger capacity and impressive horsepower allows for a faster and long-range transport,” National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said last month.

“Looking forward to the delivery of the remaining 10 Blackhawks this year,” he added.With the said latest arrival, 5 more are to be delivered to complete the 16 ordered S-70i Black Hawks.

Indian Navy has started training on the MH-60R

 The Indian Navy is ready to take a step towards modernising its ageing helicopter fleet as the United States is set to hand over three MH-60R helicopters to it in their country, where Indian crews are stationed for training on the new platform, by the year-end, people familiar with the developments said on Monday.Two of the multi-role helicopters (MRHs) will be delivered to the navy next month, with the third delivery planned around the year-end, said one of the officials cited above. The Indian crews, including around 15 officers, began their training at Pensacola in Florida on Monday.

Last year, India ordered 24 Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters from the US to strengthen the navy’s anti-submarine/anti-surface warfare and surveillance capabilities. The government-to-government contract for the helicopters is worth around ₹17,500 crore.The navy had first moved a case to buy multi-role helicopters, a critical operational necessity, more than 15 years ago.

But the MRHs were ordered only last year as a replacement for the Sea King 42/42A fleet, which went out of service nearly two decades ago. The MRH is expected to be the mainstay of the navy’s anti-submarine/anti-ship warfare and airborne early-warning capabilities in the coming years.“The procurement is progressing well. The first batch of three choppers is likely to arrive in India in May-June 2022. The remaining 21 helicopters are likely to be delivered over the next three years (by 2024),” said a second official.

Armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, MK 54 torpedoes and advanced precision weapons, the twin-engine helicopters can operate from frigates, destroyers and aircraft carriers.Ship-borne multi-role helicopters have been an essential force multiplier for any navy since the 1960s, maritime affairs expert Rear Admiral Sudarshan Shrikhande (retd) said. “I recall the great combat power the earlier helicopters like the Sea King 42 and Kamov variants brought to the fleet in the late 1980s. The induction of the new MRH is a qualitative relief, but quantitative gaps also need addressing,” he said.

The navy is also pursuing a plan to build 111 naval utility helicopters (NUH) in India under the strategic partnership (SP) model to replace its outdated fleet of French-designed Chetak choppers. The defence acquisition council (DAC), India’s apex procurement body, cleared the ₹21,738-crore NUH project under the SP model in August 2018, but there has been no forward movement during the last three years.

Royal Australian Navy Training Manoeuvres with Brunei Navy a Success

 HMAS Parramatta sails in company with Royal Brunei Navy ship KDB Darulehsan while conducting maritime manoeuvres (photo : Aus DoD)

HMAS Parramatta joined Royal Brunei Navy ships Darulehsan and Syafaat for shared training during a recent visit to Brunei.The three ships conducted a range of contactless training activities, including communication exercises, replenishment-at-sea approaches and maritime manoeuvres.Commanding Officer Parramatta Commander Anita Nemarich said the chance to train with Brunei was a great success for both navies.“The in-company training built upon the strong relationship between the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Brunei Navy,” Commander Nemarich said.

“It was wonderful to spend the day working alongside such professional units, and it provided excellent training opportunities for our crews.“Australia and Brunei share a strong bilateral defence relationship and are like-minded regional partners. Events like this continue to build on those great connections.”Parramatta officer-of-the-watch phase two trainee Sub-Lieutenant Jacqui Dendle said it was a valuable experience to work alongside the Royal Brunei Navy.“Being able to put my training into action while conducting officer-of-the-watch manoeuvres was a great opportunity for me,” Sub-Lieutenant Dendle said.“Working with the Royal Brunei Navy was a great experience and a highlight from my time on board Parramatta during this regional presence deployment.”

The officer of the watch is responsible for the navigation and running of the ship, taking charge while the commander is away from the bridge.Parramatta is conducting a regional presence deployment with HMAS Ballarat. The two Anzac-class frigates are conducting a number of navy-to-navy engagements with partner nations across the region.