HI Uplift: Sikorsky Firehawk production lifts off in Europe
It's action stations for this Sikorsky S-70 Firehawk helicopter.
South-west Europe is aflame. Wildfires in Spain have claimed at least 13 lives, and together with those in France forced 380,000 to flee their homes. About 1.2 million acres of land have burned. So, any new resources to combat conflagrations across the continent are welcome. Earlier this month, Sikorsky confirmed it has started building S-70 Firehawk helicopters in Poland.
Heavy-duty aircraft, S-70s, are firefighting variants of the military Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters. Powered by twin GE T700 turboshaft engines built to handle extreme heat and high altitudes, the aircraft can carry 1,000-gallons (3,785-litres) of water or flame retardant in a belly tank.
A retractable snorkel is said to enable refilling of the tank in less than one minute enabling crews to return quickly to the fire benefiting from higher transit speeds than many competing aircraft, claims the manufacturer. The helicopter can reach a top cruise speed of 145 knots (268km/h) with a range of 268nm.
Other missions will include emergency relief flights following floods or earthquakes. “The Firehawk can also transition seamlessly between firefighting and other emergency response missions, increasing the operational value of the aircraft beyond wildfire season,” says Lockheed Martin.
Wildfire season
Two S-70 Firehawks are under construction by PZL Mielec – a subsidiary of Sikorsky’s parent company Lockheed Martin – in the city of Mielec in south-east Poland. Both are destined for the Czech Republic Ministry of the Interior through a partnership with Czech aviation firm Česká Letecká Servisní (ČLS), a Helicopter Alliance (HA) company and United Rotorcraft.
The aircraft will also be available to other European countries for firefighting missions throughout the intensifying wildfire seasons through the European Commission’s RescEU programme.
Speaking before the current emergency in south-west Europe, a spokesperson for Lockheed Martin told us: “The start of production for the first European‑built S‑70 Firehawk helicopters comes at a critical juncture as Europe confronts an exceptionally dangerous wildfire season. Firehawk helicopters produced in Poland will bring local operators new and unmatched aerial firefighting and all-hazard emergency response capabilities.”
It’s not hard to understand why the manufacturer chose to site Firehawk production in the country’s south-east. PZL Mielec has been producing the S-70i, and now the FAA-certified S-70M variant, for more than 15 years.
‘Production capabilities’
“The S-70i production line began assembly in 2009, with aircraft deliveries starting in 2010, meaning the manufacturing learning curve has long since matured,” said the spokesperson. “As a result, the site selection is based on proven production capabilities, an experienced workforce, stable processes, and a demonstrated track record of delivering some of the highest-quality aircraft in the Black Hawk family.”
The S-70i is an international military and utility model, while the S-70M is a specially designated version with an FAA Restricted Category certification built for commercial and civil operators.
Also, the availability of RescEU and other European funding mechanisms that support the acquisition of European-built aircraft, made continuing production in Europe “a natural and strategic fit”, said the spokesperson.
“The collaboration between PZL Mielec, Česká Letecká Servisní and United Rotorcraft demonstrates the value of multinational cooperation to enhance public safety, deliver innovative solutions, and ensure that communities are better prepared to face emergency situations.”
Dr Dennis Goege, vice president and chief executive for Europe, Lockheed Martin said earlier this month: “This production start is more than a manufacturing milestone; it is the first concrete step toward a continent‑wide, modern aerial firefighting network. By delivering proven technology from a European supply chain, we are giving European communities a decisive tool to protect lives, property and ecosystems.”
‘Toughest US fire seasons’
Jeanette Eaton, vice president of strategy and business development, United Rotorcraft added: “The Firehawk’s proven performance in the toughest US fire seasons gives us confidence that it will excel in Europe’s diverse terrain and weather.” The company is sending a team to the Czech Republic to install the firefighting kit, water tanks and additional search‑and‑rescue equipment.
Firehawks are not the only Sikorsky platforms to be tasked with firefighting missions. In April, Slovakian operator Heli Company revealed its plan to deploy four UH-60 A/L Black Hawk helicopters to Cyprus for firefighting missions. The aircraft will remain on standby throughout the 2026 fire season.
Also, Canadian operator VIH Helicopters is deploying up to three S-92s, known as Fire Raptors, reconfigured for firefighting duties after their primary lives flying offshore oil and gas missions. Pride of place in its Fire Raptor fleet is the first S-92A – tail number 920006 – to enter commercial service in 2004.
$30m and $40m
If you are in the market for a new Sikorsky S-70i Firehawk, prices generally range between $30m and $40m.
Meanwhile, wildfires continue to ravage south-west France and Spain this week – at an intensity that generates their own weather systems. So relentless is their progress that not just rural areas and towns are under threat but cities such as Bordeaux and even Madrid.
The scale of the unfolding tragedy prompted Manuel Martinez, the mayor of Marcheprime, a town 18 miles south-west of Bordeaux to tell digital news service Franceinfo the blaze is a “raging fire that we are learning to understand”. He added: “We are at war with an enemy”.
If that is the case, then Martinez and the rest of Europe have new allies in the form of Firehawk helicopters produced 1,380 miles to the north-west in Mielec.
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HI Uplift Dashboard: Helicopters for sale
Multi engines
*Total for sale/lease: 239 – the same as last week
*Percentage for sale/lease: 2.3%
*Absorption rate: 3.18 months
*Total fleet: 10,398 – four more than last week.
Single engine
*Total for sale/lease: 414 – two fewer than last week
*Percentage for sale/lease: 3.02%
*Absorption rate: 3.86 months
*Total fleet: 13,6943 – one more than last week.
Source: AMSTAT, July 31st, 2026
