The Los Angeles County Fire Department has placed an order with Sikorsky for two additional S-70i Firehawk firefighting helicopters.
In a year that brutally demonstrated the threat that wildfires pose to the cities and towns of Los Angeles County, USA, the county Fire Department decided to expand its existing fleet of firefighting aircraft with two new Sikorsky helicopters. Announced by Lockheed MartinSikorsky’s parent company, on October 29, 2025, the helicopters will join the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s (LACoFD) fleet of five Sikorsky S-70s and three existing Bell 412s.
“The Firehawk helicopter has been the cornerstone of our aerial firefighting capability for more than two decades,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone. “Adding two more proven platforms enhances our ability to respond to all types of emergency situations across the county and contain wildfires before they get out of control, even in the most difficult conditions.”
Forest fires don’t wait, and neither do we.
Los Angeles County announced a contract for two new Sikorsky S-70i FIREHAWK® helicopters to power 24/7 wildfire, rescue and medical missions across 4,000 square miles.
That’s a fast and reliable response when it matters most. pic.twitter.com/WQrEIVldIU
— Sikorsky (@Sikorsky) October 30, 2025
S-70 is Sikorsky’s model number for the helicopter known under the designation H-60 of the US Mission Design Series, and forms the basis for the UH-60 Black Hawk and SH-60 Seahawk helicopter families. He S-70i Fire Falcon is the newest example in the line of a variant dedicated to aerial firefighting, featuring a 1,000-gallon/3,785-liter water tank that can be filled via a retractable snorkel in less than a minute. Like many military variants, the Firehawk comes equipped with night vision compatible flight controls, allowing for safe and reliable operation in both day and night conditions.
In addition to the aircraft’s firefighting capabilities, the Firehawk can act in a medical evacuation role and also features an elevator rescue system. In a purely transport role, a Firehawk can airlift up to eleven fully equipped firefighters in and out of active firefighting areas. Cargo can also be secured in the aircraft cabin, allowing for the transport of supplies to remote fire crews or the airlift of emergency aid to remote locations.
The original Firehawks were developed with Los Angeles County in mind, as the county’s fire departments proposed the idea to Sikorsky. This direct link between operator and manufacturer has helped the Firehawk continually evolve to meet changing needs and take advantage of new technologies as they emerge.
Seven firefighting agencies in California operate the Firehawk today: the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the Kern County Fire Department, the Orange County Fire Authority, the San Diego Fire and Rescue Department, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, and the Ventura County Fire Department. The state Department of Public Safety also operates two aircraft in Colorado.
Today marks a significant milestone for CAL FIRE’s aviation program, recognizing the delivery of two additional Sikorsky S-70i FIREHAWK helicopters, bringing our fleet to 16.
CAL FIRE is home to the largest FIREHAWK fleet in the world. pic.twitter.com/Bnq1kXLnfA– CAL FIRE Chief (@CALFIRE_CHIEF) July 31, 2025
Rich Benton, vice president and general manager of Sikorsky, said, “We appreciate the trust the Los Angeles County Fire Department places in Sikorsky to advance its lifesaving mission. These new helicopters reinforce a partnership that began in the late 1990s and continues to set the standard for aerial response to wildfires and emergencies around the world.”
After Sikorsky produces the S-70 base aircraft, United Rotorcraft in Colorado takes the airframe and converts it to Firehawk standard. United Rotorcraft is the exclusive global provider of this service and recently secured an international contract. with Colombia to produce two Firehawks using UH-60L Black Hawk fuselages. This is the first overseas order for the S-70i Firehawk.
A friend of mine from the Orange County Fire Authority just sent me these videos of his S-70 Firehawk helicopter dropping water on the Palisades Fire.
These firefighters are doing incredible, brave work 24/7. pic.twitter.com/qTL7v76WnA– Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) January 12, 2025
Firehawks flew alongside fixed-wing firefighting aircraft during the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles County in early 2025. Massive fires, some of which are believed to have been started deliberately, engulfed more than 50,000 acres of land. Tens of thousands of homes were destroyed in the region, including the prominent neighborhoods of Altadena and Pacific Palisades. While helicopter-based firefighting systems cannot compete with the large capacity of many fixed-wing types, they make up for their lower capacity with versatility and the ability to make extremely precise and targeted drops in very small areas.
In the coming years, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are likely to become increasingly present in aerial firefighting operations. TO significant number of trials for this use have already been made. As the platform matures, it may be an area that Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin decide to focus on when marketing their new U-Hawk product.
