The S-70i Black Hawk helicopter is part of the family of Black Hawk multi-mission aircraft. The helicopter is built by Poland-based Sikorsky Aircraft subsidiary PZL Mielec and is being offered for international military customers and government agencies.
The helicopter can be configured according to customer-specific missions encompassing border patrol, cargo lift, command and control, search and rescue, troop transport and air assault, and VIP transport.
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The first helicopter successfully made its maiden flight in July 2010. The helicopter is currently operational in more than 36 countries.
PZL Mielec completed the production of the 700th Black Hawk cabin in October 2025.
S-70i Black Hawk helicopter design
The S-70i Black Hawk helicopter has a maximum gross weight of 9,979kg (22,000lb) and can carry two pilots, two crew members and up to 12 troops.
The reliable crash-worthy airframe design of the S-70i integrates a machined cabin structure and a single-piece cockpit assembly. The structure can resist small-arms fire and high-explosive projectiles. Entry and exit of the crew and troops are provided by two jettisonable cockpit doors and two sliding cargo doors, respectively.
The S-70i can be fitted with ballistic protection, an active vibration control system, medical equipment, wire strike protection and an Integrated Vehicle Health Management system, as well as auxiliary fuel tanks, an external rescue hoist, rappelling equipment and a cargo hook.
Cockpit and avionics
The glass cockpit of the S-70i features crash-worthy seats for the pilot and co-pilot. The fully integrated digital cockpit is equipped with an advanced avionics suite incorporating four 10in colour multifunctional displays, a dual digital automatic flight control system, and a coupled flight director and flight management system.
The navigation and communication systems include a dual embedded global positioning system/inertial navigation system with digital map, two UHF/VHF AM/FM radios, an automatic direction finder, a VHF omnidirectional range/instrument landing system and a three-station crew digital inter-communication system.
S-70i helicopter cabin and armament
The S-70i’s cabin is 12.58ft (3.84m) long, 4.52ft high and offers an area of 8.1m². The cabin width (on floor) is 6ft and the cabin width (at door) is 7ft. It is equipped with multifunctional 300-pounds-per-square-inch cabin flooring and internal sound-proofing panels. The flexible design of the cabin allows for quick modifications to meet the mission requirements. The seating can be removed to accommodate cargo and supplies.
The baseline helicopter comes with no standard armament fit-out. The new-build helicopters or existing platforms can be integrated with the Battlehawk system. The system encompasses various machine guns including the GAU-19 12.7mm, M-134 7.62mm and M3M .50-calibre cabin floor-mounted machine guns, as well as HELLFIRE missiles, 70mm rocket launchers, an air-to-ground laser missile system, a helmet-mounted sight, an external gun mounting system and an external stores weapon system.
Engines and landing gear of Black Hawk helicopters
The helicopter is powered by two T700-GE701D turboshaft engines equipped with C controls.
Each engine develops a maximum power of 1,447kW. The twin-engine power plant drives the main rotor comprising of four composite-titanium blades.
The fuel system is composed of two crash-worthy and self-sealing fuel tanks, while the single-point service connection allows close-circuit and pressure refuelling.
The S-70i Black Hawk features a three-point dual OLEO landing gear with energy-absorbing features.
The rugged landing gear allows the landing and take-off from virtually any unprepared terrain.
Performance of the multi-mission helicopter
The S-70i can fly at a maximum cruise speed of 296km/h and has a maximum range of 578km with no reserve. The range with additional tanks can reach up to 2,300km. The All Engines Operating service ceiling of the Black Hawk helicopter is 13,200ft.
S-70i international orders and deliveries
PZL Mielec delivered the first three S-70i Black Hawk helicopters to an undisclosed launch customer in August 2011.
Sikorsky Aircraft signed a contract with the Brunei Ministry of Defence in December 2011 to supply 12 helicopters for the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF), with an option for ten additional helicopters. The first batch of four S-70i Black Hawk helicopters was delivered to Brunei in December 2013 and the RBAF currently operates all 12 helicopters.
Sikorsky delivered five S-70i Black Hawks to the Special Forces unit of the Colombian Army’s Air Assault Division in March 2013. The Colombian Army placed an order with Sikorsky Aircraft for two additional helicopters fitted with a helicopter terrain awareness and warning system in April 2013. The deliveries were concluded by October 2013.
Chile placed orders for six helicopters for the Chilean Air Force in December 2016. The first three aircraft were delivered to Chile in 2018.
Sikorsky handed over an S-70i helicopter to Turkish defence electronics manufacturer Aselsan in March 2017 to carry out fitments in accordance with the requirements of the prototype unit for the Turkish Multi-role Helicopter Programme.
PZL Mielec delivered two S-70i Black Hawk helicopters to the Polish National Police in November 2018. An order for another helicopter was also placed in the same month. The Polish National Police currently operates a fleet of five helicopters, with the last delivery completed in December 2024.
The Ministry of National Defence Republic of Poland placed orders for four Sikorsky S-70i helicopters in January 2019 for the Polish Armed Forces. All four helicopters were delivered to the Polish Army in December 2019. The Polish Armed Forces placed another contract for four aircraft in 2021. All deliveries were completed in November 2024.
In November 2021, Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs signed an agreement to procure up to 12 helicopters. Romania received seven helicopters in 2023 and placed an order for an additional helicopter in June 2024.
The Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) inked a $241.4m (14.87bn pesos) contract with PZL Mielec in June 2019 to purchase 16 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters for the Philippine Air Force. In February 2022, the DND placed an order for 32 additional helicopters, increasing the current fleet to 47. By January 2026, 25 helicopters were delivered with the remaining deliveries scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.
