The contract includes sustainment and spare parts support through 2032. Pilots will continue training at the U.S.-based Sikorsky Training Academy while the Philippine Air Force establishes its domestic training capability.
The Philippines operates Black Hawks for search and rescue, humanitarian aid, firefighting and troop transport across the archipelago. The agreement supports its growing helicopter fleet and broader defense modernization efforts.
“It’s a privilege to partner with the Philippine Air Force with a suite of systems to support their training requirements as they grow their fleet of S-70i Black Hawk helicopters,” said Tim James, vice president of Air and Commercial Solutions at Lockheed Martin. “This contract award is a long-term investment in the PAF’s mission readiness and reflects Lockheed Martin’s proven ability to deliver sustainment solutions across the entire operational pipeline.”
The full flight simulator uses a digital twin of the S-70i Black Hawk to reproduce the sights and sensations of flying the aircraft, according to Lockheed Martin. The maintenance trainer provides physics-based models of every airframe subsystem, from hydraulics to avionics, allowing personnel to practice in an immersive, risk-free environment.
“Through these advanced training systems, we effectively support the needs of its growing force and expanding Black Hawk fleet,” said William Blair, vice president and regional chief executive for Asia and India at Lockheed Martin. “These solutions build on the PAF’s ongoing efforts to enhance training, ensuring crews and maintainers remain mission-ready while advancing their broader modernization goals.”
The direct commercial sale is the first order for Lockheed Martin’s S-70i Black Hawk training devices. Its training portfolio for the helicopter ranges from desktop systems to fully immersive virtual environments.
Lockheed Martin uses the Black Hawk’s digital twin to model aircraft systems, components and configurations. The company says it also uses a digital thread of the helicopter’s operational flight program to create simulations in days rather than years, keeping training systems aligned with aircraft modernization.
