United Rotorcraft Awards Contract to Sikorsky for five S-70TM BLACK HAWK® Helicopters Share On... by United Rotorcraft posted October 05, 2021 UR solidifies its position as the FIREHAWK® helicopter completions center in support of growing demand in the US and internationally ENGLEWOOD, Colorado – August 24, 2021 – United Rotorcraft, a division of Air Methods Corporation,has awarded Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, a contract for five S-70™ BLACK HAWK® helicopters.The bulk order will enable United Rotorcraft, as the only company authorized by Sikorsky to modifyBLACK HAWK aircraft to the FIREHAWK® configuration, to quickly deliver these new production aircraftfor aerial firefighting in support of public agencies battling increasingly destructive wildland fires. “The FIREHAWK helicopter is fast becoming one of the most powerful and effective aerial firefightingassets in California, attacking and extinguishing wildfires before they spread out of control,” said LarryAlexandre, United Rotorcraft president. “Acquiring five S-70 BLACK HAWK aircraft from Sikorsky withdeliveries over the next 7 to 18 months confirms United Rotorcraft’s commitment to the FIREHAWKhelicopter and its mission, and ensures their availability to support future demand from U.S. WesternStates or firefighting agencies around the world.” Sikorsky will produce the five S-70 BLACK HAWK aircraft at Lockheed Martin’s PZL Mielec manufacturingline in Poland. Deliveries to United Rotorcraft’s 55,000+ square foot completions facility in Colorado are expected between early 2022 and mid-2023. The first aircraft received will be configured as a FIREHAWKhelicopter for the State of Colorado, which announced its contract with United Rotorcraft on Aug. 16. “Sikorsky and United Rotorcraft have worked closely for 25 years to develop, test and upgrade two S-70variants of the FIREHAWK helicopter for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, CAL FIRE and the SanDiego Fire-Rescue Department,” said Jason Lambert, vice president of Sikorsky Global Commercial andMilitary Systems. “We applaud United Rotorcraft’s bold leadership to bring the toughest, safest, mostreliable fire suppression and rescue helicopter in existence today into the hands of first responderssooner than ever.” To modify a Black Hawk helicopter to the FIREHAWK configuration, United Rotorcraft installs andintegrates a 1,000-gallon (3,785-liter) external water tank system to the aircraft’s belly. Fingertipcontrols allow pilots to drop the precise amount of water with high accuracy and refill the tank via aretractable snorkel in 60 seconds or less while hovering 10 feet over a water source. United Rotorcraftworks hand in hand with public agencies to further customize the aircraft, as needed, fromcommunications and navigation systems, to cabin interiors, transforming the FIREHAWK into a truemulti-mission aircraft, with the ability to transport up to 12 firefighters, provide medical care on board,or perform search and rescue operations. Thirteen S-70 FIREHAWK helicopters currently fighting fires across California are operated by CALFIRE,Los Angeles County Fire Department, and San Diego Fire Rescue Department. Five more contractedaircraft are on the way. About United RotorcraftUnited Rotorcraft, a division of Air Methods Corporation, (www.unitedrotorcraft.com) specializes in thedesign, manufacture and installation of ground and aerial mission critical equipment for front lineworkers, from firefighting and law enforcement, to HEMS and Medevac. About Lockheed MartinHeadquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospacecompany that employs approximately 114,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in theresearch, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technologysystems, products and services. Media ContactsRamy Nasralla, 346-786-1487, *protected email*, www.unitedrotorcraft.comFrans Jurgens, 203-615-8293, *protected email*, www.lockheedmartin.com/firehawk