Sikorsky Proposes Aerial Firefighting Solution to Operators of Black Hawk Helicopters in Latin America

The Firehawk Aerial Firefighting Mission Package can be retrofitted to the region’s existing Black Hawk fleets

Black Hawk helicopters in Latin America can be modified to Firehawk configuration for aerial firefighting and multi-role missions. Photo by Skip Robinson

SANTIAGO, Chile, April 4, 2018 – Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), today launched at FIDAE 2018 a two-month promotional tour of Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Peru to raise awareness of the Black Hawk helicopter’s effectiveness as an aerial firefighting platform. Many of the Black Hawk helicopters delivered to the region’s militaries and government agencies over the last 30 years can easily be equipped to carry water and foam to fight wildland fires that are growing both in severity and frequency.

“Latin America is increasingly susceptible to wildfires that threaten lives and property, and the firefighting season also is shown to be lengthening,” said Adam Schierholz, Sikorsky Vice President & Regional Sales Executive for Latin America. “We are bringing the lessons learned from California, where our FIREHAWK Aerial Firefighting Mission Package added to a Black Hawk helicopter has proved to be highly effective attacking wildland fires with large volumes of water, especially when the effort is coordinated closely with firefighters attacking the same fire from the ground.”

Since the early 2000s, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department has demonstrated repeatedly the effectiveness of its three Firehawk helicopters to extinguish fires that have threatened the county’s 10 million residents, who live at sea level up to 3048 m (10,000 feet) altitude. In February 2018, the county ordered two more Firehawk helicopters for entry into service in early 2019. The same month, the City of San Diego ordered its first Firehawk aircraft.

The Firehawk Aerial Firefighting Mission Package consists of a 3,785-liter (1,000-gallon) water tank with a retractable snorkel attached to the belly of the aircraft, and an extended main landing gear. A rescue hoist and a medically-configured interior are options, particularly where the aircraft will be deployed for multiple missions, such as search and rescue, air medical transport, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. An additional option converts the Firehawk cockpit for single pilot use.

The FIREHAWK Aerial Firefighting Mission Package is compatible with older model UH-60L and S-70A Black Hawk helicopters delivered during the late 1980s into the early 2000s; and with newer model UH-60M, S-70M and S-70i Black Hawk aircraft, which feature a digital cockpit, wide chord main rotor blades and more powerful engines.

Colombia operates the region’s largest fleet of Black Hawk helicopters, with almost 100 acquired since 1988. Argentina, Brazil and Chile collectively operate another 22 Black Hawk aircraft.

Sikorsky will conduct the tour from April into June with representatives from United Rotorcraft, an aircraft completion company based in Colorado. United Rotorcraft is teamed with Sikorsky to configure Black Hawk aircraft for the aerial firefighting mission.

For additional information, visit our website: https://lockheedmartin.com/us/products/firehawk.html

Safran to power Qatar’s new NH90 fleet

Qatar has selected Safran Helicopter Engines as engine supplier of its new NH90 fleet. The 28 NH90 military helicopters, whose acquisition was announced on 14 March, will all feature RTM322 engines.

Anthony Pecchi - Safran

They will be assembled in Bordes (France) and delivered to Airbus Helicopters' facility in Marignane, where the NH90 tactical transport version (TTH) is assembled, and to the Leonardo Venice-Tessera facility in Northern Italy for integration with the naval (NFH) configuration. Safran Helicopter Engines now powers 80 % of the worldwide NH90 fleet.

RTM322 is a 2,100 to 2,600 shaft horsepower engine (shp) designed for ten-to-fifteen ton military helicopters. It features state-of-the art technologies that enable it to perform in extremely demanding environments.

Commented Florent Chauvancy, Safran Helicopter Engines VP Heavy Helicopter Engine Programs, "the RTM322 has once again demonstrated that it is the best engine for the NH90. Since our acquisition of the program in 2013, we have generated a high level of operator satisfaction through increasing engine robustness and operability, and by implementing simpler and more efficient maintenance practices".

Cyril Abad - Safran

The Qatar Armed Forces NH90 will feature the RTM322-01/9A version. It features a 7% power increase over the baseline RTM322-01/9 variant. This additional power increases mission capabilities in "hot and high" conditions.

Today, 1,100 RTM322 have been delivered worldwide, accumulating over 1.3 million flight-hours.

As part of this agreement, Qatar has also ordered 16 H125 light single-engine helicopters for operation by the its Armed Forces Air Academy. These rotorcraft will also be Safran-powered, by the Arriel 2D .

A King Has Arrived: Sikorsky CH-53 King Stallion Heavy Lift Helicopter Arrives in Germany for International Debut

King Stallion will demonstrate its flight capabilities and maneuverability at ILA Berlin Air Show

HOLZDORF, Germany, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A CH-53K heavy lift helicopter built by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), arrived in Holzdorf, Germany, ahead of its international debut at the ILA Berlin Air Show next month.

This is the first time a King Stallion helicopter has been loaded into a C-17 Globemaster and transported to the base of a European ally.

"We are excited for the opportunity to showcase the capabilities of this all new CH-53K heavy lift helicopter to an international audience. This is the only true heavy lift helicopter in production," said Sikorsky President Dan Schultz.

Sikorsky demonstrated the King Stallion's strategic airlift capability during an exercise at the Sikorsky Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, prior to the departure for Germany.

A trained Sikorsky crew partially disassembled the CH-53K helicopter, loaded it into the C-17 cabin and then unloaded the helicopter while representatives from Naval Air Systems Command and the U.S. Marine Corps observed the exercise. As a result, the CH-53K program achieved its Air Transportability Test Loading Activity certification from the U.S. Air Force.

The CH-53K King Stallion test program recently completed the following milestones: maximum weight single-point cargo hook sling load of 36,000 pounds (16,329 kilograms); forward flight speed of 200 knots; 60 degrees angle of bank turns; 12-degree slope landings and takeoffs; external load auto-jettison; and gunfire testing. These milestones come just weeks ahead of Sikorsky delivering the first CH-53K helicopter to the U.S. Marines.

The helicopter will remain at the Holzdorf Air Base, a military airfield operated by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe), until the start of the ILA Berlin Air Show. The CH-53K will showcase its capabilities, maneuverability and advanced fly-by-wire technology during demonstration flights at the air show.

The CH-53K aircraft is an all-new aircraft, using modern intelligent design. The rugged CH-53K is designed to ensure reliability, low maintenance, high availability and enhanced survivability in the most austere and remote forward operating bases.

The CH-53K helicopter is the best choice for completing missions like humanitarian aid, troop transport, casualty evacuation, support of special operations forces, and combat search and rescue. No matter the mission, the aircraft will provide the highest degree of safety for its crew and occupants in all conditions.

For additional information, visit our website: https://lockheedmartin.com/ch-53k