Portugal’s first firefighting-capable Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters have made their first flights in the country, according to the Portuguese Air Force.
The inaugural flight of the two UH-60 aircraft took place last week from Ovar Air Base (LPOV) in Ovar, Portugal, where the aircraft will be based, the service said Saturday.
The two medium-lift utility helicopters are part of a $47 million, six-aircraft order made last year for Black Hawks capable of aerially combating rural fires, as well as for transport. In September 2022, the service awarded the purchase contract from Enterprise, Alabama-based Arista Aviation, a United Aero Group firm that overhauls and modernizes a variety of used helicopter platforms. The contract also calls for the training for six pilots and 21 mechanics, as well as five years of on-site maintenance and logistical support.
The firefighting-capable aircraft boasts the capacity to transport up to a dozen crewmembers, as well as carry more than 750 gallons of water, according to Arista Aviation.
“Our aerial firefighting configuration is highly successful in fighting U.S. wildfires in California and other Western states, and we are thrilled to be able to internationally introduce these lifesaving platforms to Portugal,” Rich Enderle, president of Arista, said when the order was announced.
The four remaining UH-60s are to be delivered by 2026, the Portuguese Air Force said.
