What's So Special About The Firehawk Helicopter?

At first glance, the Firehawk helicopter might just look like any other aircraft in the sky, but there's a reason this one keeps turning heads. Whether it's flying over wildfires or landing in the middle of a rescue operation, the Firehawk has earned a reputation for being more than just a helicopter.

The Firehawk is a firefighting helicopter that combines precision water drops, firefighter transport, and rescue operations all in one aircraft. It's not just about putting out flames from above, as it can carry a full crew straight to the fire line, release 1,000 gallons of water, and still handle sharp turns while fully loaded. Designed for extreme conditions, it brings together power and control in a way few helicopters can.

What really sets it apart is how easily it shifts roles. From knocking down hotspots to lifting people out of danger or flying patients to safety, the Firehawk doesn't need to pause or switch out the setup. It can hoist survivors, move heavy gear, or operate as a flying medical unit in the middle of a crisis. That kind of flexibility isn't common in other choppers, especially when both time and access are limited.

The Firehawk helicopter's origin ties back to the early commercial use of the military's Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. Back in 1973, Chuck Brainerd founded Brainerd Helicopters and became the very first company to operate Black Hawks commercially. The company began using these helicopters for fighting wildfires around 1987, marking one of the first times the Black Hawk's military-strength features were adapted for civilian firefighting.

During the late 1990s, the Los Angeles County Fire Department helped shape what the Firehawk would become. They took military surplus Sikorsky S-70A/UH-60L helicopters and modified them specifically for firefighting and rescue work. These early "Legacy Firehawks" were equipped with external water tanks and rescue gear, which let them respond quickly to wildfires and emergencies.

In 2016, United Rotorcraft teamed up with Sikorsky, now under Lockheed Martin, to take over the development and production of the Firehawk. Together, they started building the S-70M and S-70i Firehawks straight from the factory, packing them with high-tech firefighting gear. Since then, fire departments like the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, have been adding these specially designed helicopters to their fleets. These choppers give Cal Fire some of the most advanced firefighting tools available today, and were used to fight the flames of the state's wildfires in January of 2025.