The forest fires sweeping across California in the run-up to Farnborough are proof of the increasing market for an effective aerial firefighting capability.
Sikorsky says its Firehawk helicopter, destined for the US Army National Guard, has completed 23h of water drop exercises over the summer, using simulated firelines at the company's flight test in Stratford, Connecticut and at a US Army base in Virginia.
The Firehawk is a new production UH-60L Black Hawk on loan from the Army National Guard, modified to allow installation of a 3,785 litre water tank.
Firehawk can drop water on a precise target and refill in less than a minute.
Source: Flight Daily News
