Los Angeles County Fire Department has ordered two Sikorsky S-70A Firehawk firefighting helicopters. The first will be delivered for outfitting within 90 days, with the second following early next year.
The $25 million procurement includes emergency medical service interiors so the helicopters can be used for paramedic and search-and-rescue missions.
The Firehawks will be newUH-60L-standard aircraft produced by Sikorsky and delivered to Air Methods for installation of the aeromedical interiors and mission avionics. Aero Union will install the 3,000 litre (1,000USgal) belly tank. The Firehawk has extended landing gear to provide ground clearance with the tank fitted.
Sikorsky has completed one Firehawk, now in service with the US Army National Guard in Ore-gon, and two more are on order for National Guard units in California and Florida. Funding has also been appropriated for three kits to convert in-service Black Hawks to the fire-fighting role.
Source: Flight International
