Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, Department of Emergency Situations, has awarded PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company, a contract to procure an additional new-generation Black Hawk® utility helicopter for emergency and firefighting services. This additional aircraft will join Romania’s fleet of European manufactured Sikorsky S-70M Black Hawk utility helicopters, currently providing maritime and land search and rescue, firefighting, transport and medical emergency support. In 2023, Romania received seven S-70M helicopters as part of a framework agreement for up to twelve Polish-built S-70M Black Hawks. With this additional aircraft, the fleet of S-70M helicopters will grow to eight.
“This Polish-built S-70M Black Hawk will further extend the reach of the existing Romanian Black Hawk fleet and supports Romania in its commitment to contribute to strengthening European preparedness for disasters. These new-generation aircraft will be a long-standing asset for Romania, offering enhanced features and flight safety to its high-payload role, as demonstrated worldwide, but especially by firefighting forces in the United States,” said Dennis Goege, vice president of Lockheed Martin in Central and Eastern Europe.
Romania made this purchase funded by European Union RescEU funds, part of the European Civil protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations created to fund, among other items, a fleet of firefighting planes and helicopters. Designed to demanding military standards, the S-70 Black Hawk helicopter is a dual-use platform that is ideally-suited to perform the long-range and high-altitude missions required by Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. This includes disaster relief, search and rescue, medical transport, external cargo lift, firefighting, and maritime emergency missions.
The military design of these robust helicopters allows them to fly in challenging weather and environmental conditions. With more than 5,000 Hawk aircraft produced, more than 5 million combat hours flown and continuous improvements, this versatile, multi-mission helicopteris operated by more than 35 countries. Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin, and Aerostar S.A., inaugurated the first certified S-70 Black Hawk helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service centre in Europe. The Black Hawk centre established in Bacau will support Black Hawk operational availability and sustainment.
