The Los Angeles County Fireplace Division has positioned an order with Sikorsky for 2 further S-70i Firehawk firefighting helicopters.
In a yr that brutally demonstrated the risk that wildfires pose to the cities and cities of Los Angeles County, USA, the County’s Fireplace Division has chosen to develop its present fleet of firefighting plane with two model new Sikorsky helicopters. Introduced by Lockheed Martin, mum or dad firm of Sikorsky, on Oct. 29, 2025, the helicopters will be a part of the Los Angeles County Fireplace Division (LACoFD) fleet of 5 present Sikorsky S-70s and three Bell 412s.
“The Firehawk helicopter has been the cornerstone of our aerial firefighting functionality for greater than twenty years,” famous Anthony C. Marrone, Fireplace Chief for the County of Los Angeles. “Including two extra confirmed platforms enhances our capability to reply to all varieties of emergency conditions throughout the county and comprise wildfires earlier than they get uncontrolled, even below probably the most difficult situations.”
Wildfires don’t wait — and neither can we.
The County of Los Angeles introduced a contract for 2 new Sikorsky S‑70i FIREHAWK® helicopters to spice up 24/7 wildfire, rescue and medical missions throughout 4,000 sq. miles.
That’s speedy and dependable response when it issues most. pic.twitter.com/WQrEIVldIU
— Sikorsky (@Sikorsky) October 30, 2025
S-70 is Sikorsky’s personal mannequin quantity for the helicopter recognized below the U.S. Mission Design Collection designation H-60, forming the premise for each the UH-60 Black Hawk and SH-60 Seahawk households of helicopters. The S-70i Firehawk is the most recent instance within the lineup of a devoted aerial firefighting variant, boasting a 1,000 gallon/3,785 litre water tank that may be crammed by a retractable snorkel in lower than one minute. Identical to many navy variants, the Firehawk comes geared up with evening imaginative and prescient appropriate flight controls, permitting secure and dependable operation in each day and evening situations.
Along with the plane’s firefighting capabilities, the Firehawk is ready to act in a medical evacuation position and likewise contains a hoist rescue system. In a pure transport position, a Firehawk can airlift as much as eleven totally geared up firefighters into and out of lively firefighting areas. Cargo may also be secured within the plane cabin, permitting for provide runs to distant firefighter groups or the airlift of emergency help to distant areas.
The unique Firehawks have been developed with Los Angeles County in thoughts, the hearth departments of the county having proposed the concept to Sikorsky. This direct hyperlink between the operator and producer has helped the Firehawk regularly evolve to satisfy altering wants and leverage new applied sciences as they emerge.
Seven firefighting businesses throughout California function the Firehawk right this moment – the California Division of Forestry and Fireplace Safety (CAL FIRE), County of Los Angeles Fireplace Division, Kern County Fireplace Division, Orange County Fireplace Authority, San Diego Fireplace-Rescue Division, Santa Barbara County Fireplace Division, and the Ventura County Fireplace Division. Two plane are additionally operated in Colorado by the state’s Division of Public Security.
At this time marks a serious milestone for CAL FIRE’s aviation program, recognizing the supply of two further Sikorsky S-70i FIREHAWK helicopters, bringing our fleet to 16.CAL FIRE is residence to the world’s largest FIREHAWK fleet. pic.twitter.com/Bnq1kXLnfA
— CAL FIRE Chief (@CALFIRE_CHIEF) July 31, 2025
Wealthy Benton, Vice President and Common Supervisor of Sikorsky, mentioned “We respect the arrogance that the County of Los Angeles Fireplace Division locations in Sikorsky to advance its lifesaving mission. These new helicopters reinforce a partnership that started within the late Nineties and continues to set the usual for aerial wildfire and emergency response across the globe.”
After Sikorsky produces the bottom S-70 plane, United Rotorcraft in Colorado then take the airframe and convert it to Firehawk customary. United Rotorcraft are the unique worldwide supplier of this service, and not too long ago secured a world contract with Colombia to supply two Firehawks utilizing UH-60L Black Hawk airframes. That is the primary abroad order for the S-70i Firehawk.
A buddy of mine with Orange County Fireplace Authority simply despatched me these movies from their S-70 Firehawk helicopter doing water drops over Palisades fireplace.These firefighters are doing unimaginable, courageous work 24/7. pic.twitter.com/qTL7v76WnA
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) January 12, 2025
Firehawks flew alongside fixed-wing firefighting plane through the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles County early in 2025. Huge fires, a few of that are thought to have been began intentionally, took maintain of over 50,000 acres of land. Tens of hundreds of properties have been destroyed within the area, together with within the distinguished Altadena and Pacific Palisades neighborhoods. Whereas helicopter-based firefighting methods can’t compete with the sheer capability of many mounted wing varieties, they make up for his or her decrease capability with versatility and the flexibility to ship extraordinarily exact, focused drops on very small areas.
Within the coming years it’s seemingly that unmanned aerial methods (UAS) will develop into ever extra current in aerial firefighting operations. A big quantity of trials for this use have already been carried out. Because the platform matures, it might be an space that Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin select to focus on when advertising their new U-Hawk product.
